Sunstate Equipment Co. acquires Cascade Shoring

Sunstate Equipment Co., Phoenix, has acquired Cascade Shoring and Cascade Trench Safety in the Pacific Northwest. The definitive agreement to purchase all Cascade assets and ongoing business operations was signed Nov. 16.

Cascade’s business entities include rental branches in Portland and Seattle.

This acquisition marks the entry of Sunstate Equipment’s Trench Safety Division into the Pacific Northwest, where they have seen recent rapid growth for their general rental operations since opening their first branch of the region in Portland in 2018, the company says. Since then, Sunstate has added general rental locations in Kent, Lakewood and Woodinville, Wash.

Sunstate’s rapid growth in the northwest has mirrored similar growth into new markets in the southeast — Georgia, Florida and North Carolina — during the same two-year period. In 2019, Sunstate also entered the specialized services niche of underground and confined space safety with the addition of their Trench Safety Division, which currently operates in Georgia, Oklahoma and Texas.

“We’ve seen tremendous success with our new trench services. Our customer-focused service model of reliability and commitment to a flawless rental experience makes us uniquely qualified to meet the exacting needs of our underground safety customers,” said Chris Watts, Sunstate CEO and president.

“Sunstate has traditionally relied on organic growth to fuel our nationwide expansion,” Watts said. “Accelerating growth of our Trench Safety Division through this acquisition builds on the success of our fledgling Trench Safety Division while also combining the expertise and strengths of both Cascade and Sunstate to bring even more robust rental solutions to our business partners in this region.”

The family-owned-and-operated Cascade businesses will become part of the Sunstate brand when the sale closes in early December. Cascade’s current owner and CEO, Steve Heneveld, is retiring; however, his sons Greg, Sam, Tim and Josh Heneveld — in addition to more than 20 Cascade employees — will join the Sunstate team to continue driving trench operations and sales in this region. 

“We are very pleased to welcome this outstanding Cascade team into the Sunstate family,” Watts said. “Our reputation for best-in-class service was earned by building strong teams and cultivating a culture that values treating people with respect. And, we believe Cascade’s commitment to quality and service is a good fit with our own.”