EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Sunbelt Rentals was named the Official Rental Equipment Solutions and Services Partner of the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games and Team USA on September 2, 2025. The partnership positions Sunbelt at the center of LA28's venue infrastructure program, providing the heavy equipment, power, HVAC, ground protection, fencing, and scaffolding required to build and operate 40+ temporary competition venues across the Los Angeles metro area.
This is a functional, operational partnership. LA28's defining strategic choice is to build no new permanent venues, relying instead on temporary structures and overlays on existing facilities. That approach is only possible if a rental equipment provider can deliver at scale, making Sunbelt's role as critical as any in the Games' physical execution. Sunbelt operates 35 locations in greater Los Angeles and more than 1,400 across North America.
Sunbelt Rentals is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ashtead Group plc, a FTSE 100 company listed on the London Stock Exchange. Ashtead reported total revenue of $10.79 billion in fiscal 2025. Sunbelt accounts for approximately 87% of group revenues, making it the second-largest equipment rental company in the United States behind United Rentals.
1. OLYMPIC HISTORY & MARKETING PRESENCE
1.1 Partnership Timeline & Evolution
The LA28 partnership is Sunbelt Rentals' first Olympic sponsorship. The company has no prior history as an Olympic partner at any Games.
Equipment rental firms have not historically been visible in Olympic sponsorship, which has been dominated by consumer brands, technology companies, and financial services firms. Sunbelt's entry reflects LA28's operationally-driven partnership strategy, where functional delivery partners are elevated alongside traditional consumer sponsors.
1.2 Milano Cortina 2026
No Milano Cortina 2026 activation identified. Sunbelt Rentals' partnership is exclusively with the LA28 Games, providing equipment rental services for venue infrastructure.
1.3 Signature Programs
As a first-time Olympic partner, Sunbelt does not have established Olympic programs. The partnership is fundamentally about delivery capability rather than consumer-facing activations.
2. LA28-SPECIFIC INITIATIVES
2.1 Announced Plans & Positioning
Sunbelt's scope for LA28 includes:
- Power & HVAC: Temporary power generation and climate control for venues, hospitality areas, and operational facilities
- Heavy Equipment: Construction and logistics equipment for venue build-out
- Ground Protection: Surfaces and protective flooring for temporary venues and overlay installations
- Temporary Fencing: Security perimeters, crowd management, and venue delineation
- Scaffold: Structural support for temporary seating, camera platforms, and broadcast infrastructure
- Dedicated Team: Sunbelt will deploy dedicated personnel through the Games' conclusion
The partnership is described as "an instrumental next step in LA28's unique venue infrastructure program." Sunbelt will work alongside AECOM, which handles the design, engineering, and construction management of the venue program.
2.2 Regulatory/Market Context
Equipment rental is a straightforward commercial relationship with minimal regulatory complexity in the Olympic context. Sunbelt's 35 existing locations in greater LA provide local infrastructure that reduces logistics costs and mobilization time. The company's national network of 1,400+ locations also provides backup capacity if demand exceeds local supply.
The temporary venue approach that Sunbelt supports is central to LA28's cost management strategy. By renting rather than building, LA28 avoids the multi-billion-dollar permanent construction costs that have burdened prior Games and can return equipment to Sunbelt's commercial fleet after the Games, creating a more circular model. LA28 will be the first Games since 1948 to not build any new permanent infrastructure, making Sunbelt's role operationally critical rather than supplementary.
Venue Scope: The Games will use 40+ competition venues across the LA metro area, plus a dual-venue Opening Ceremony shared between the LA Memorial Coliseum and SoFi Stadium (announced May 2025). SoFi Stadium will be reconfigured for swimming in Week 2 with a temporary 38,000-seat configuration, the largest swimming venue in Olympic history. Athletics moves to Week 1 at the Coliseum. This venue transformation work, including temporary seating, power, HVAC, fencing, and scaffold across all sites, represents the core of Sunbelt's operational scope. Soccer venues in six cities nationwide (New York, Columbus, Nashville, St. Louis, San Jose, San Diego) may extend Sunbelt's equipment deployment beyond the LA metro area. Sunbelt works alongside AECOM, which handles design, engineering, and construction management for the venue program.
3. EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP & DECISION-MAKERS
3.1 C-Suite Leadership
- Brendan Horgan: CEO of Ashtead Group plc (parent company). Joined Sunbelt Rentals in 1996 and rose to CEO of Sunbelt in January 2011 before becoming Group CEO in May 2019. He was instrumental in developing Sunbelt's North American rollout strategy and driving the company's growth from a regional player to the second-largest equipment rental firm in the US.
3.2 Olympic Partnership Leadership
Not publicly disclosed. Given the operational nature of the partnership, the LA28 relationship likely sits within Sunbelt's sales leadership and national accounts organization.
3.3 Board Members with Relevant Experience
Ashtead Group is publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange (FTSE 100). In December 2024, Ashtead announced plans to move its primary stock market listing from London to the US, reflecting the company's overwhelmingly North American revenue base.
4. AGENCY & CREATIVE PARTNERS
4.1 Agency Model
Sunbelt Rentals is a B2B equipment rental company. Its marketing is oriented toward construction, industrial, and events customers rather than consumer audiences. The company does not run large-scale consumer advertising campaigns.
4.2 Known Agency/Partner Relationships
Not publicly disclosed in the Olympic context. Sunbelt's marketing focuses on trade media, industry events, and direct sales rather than agency-driven creative campaigns.
4.3 Notable Creative Executions
Sunbelt's LA28 communications to date have been press releases and corporate announcements. The partnership is not expected to involve consumer-facing creative executions in the way that brands like Nike, Coca-Cola, or Airbnb activate.
5. COMPETITIVE POSITIONING
5.1 Market Share & Competitive Landscape
Sunbelt Rentals is the second-largest equipment rental company in the United States, behind United Rentals (~$15.3 billion revenue). Other competitors include Herc Holdings, BlueLine Rental, and Maxim Crane Works. The North American equipment rental market is estimated at approximately $70-80 billion annually and has been consolidating, with the largest players gaining share through acquisition and geographic expansion. No competitor holds any Olympic or comparable global sports sponsorship.
Cross-Sponsor Infrastructure Dynamics: Sunbelt works alongside AECOM (venue infrastructure design and construction management) and Autodesk (design software) to deliver LA28's temporary venue program. This trio of operational partners is responsible for the physical Games infrastructure that all other sponsors' activations depend upon.
5.2 Olympic Sponsorship Differentiation
Sunbelt's Olympic partnership is unique in the sponsorship landscape. Equipment rental companies have not traditionally been part of the Olympic commercial program. The partnership reflects LA28's practical approach to commercial relationships: Sunbelt provides mission-critical services (power generation, HVAC, heavy equipment, ground protection, fencing, scaffold) that are essential to the Games' physical infrastructure, and the partnership formalizes and elevates what would otherwise be a pure procurement relationship. LA28's no-new-permanent-venue strategy makes Sunbelt's rental model structurally essential to the Games' cost management.
5.3 Key Brand Messaging
- Scale and capability (1,400+ locations, 35 in greater LA)
- End-to-end equipment solutions (power, HVAC, heavy equipment, ground protection, fencing, scaffold)
- Track record in large-scale events and construction projects
- Dedicated on-site teams for complex deployments
6. KEY METRICS & BUSINESS CONTEXT
6.1 Financial Performance
- FY2024 Revenue (Ashtead Group): $10.86 billion
- FY2025 Revenue (Ashtead Group): $10.79 billion (down 1% YoY)
- Sunbelt Rentals Share of Group Revenue: ~87%
- FY2025 North American General Tool Rental Revenue: $5.89 billion
- Market Position: Second-largest equipment rental company in the US
- Locations: 1,400+ across North America, including 35 in greater Los Angeles
- Parent Company: Ashtead Group plc (LSE: AHT), FTSE 100 constituent
- Planned US Listing: Ashtead announced plans in December 2024 to move primary listing from London to the US
6.2 Olympic Period Performance
As a first-time Olympic partner providing operational services, Sunbelt's Olympic revenue will flow through venue infrastructure contracts rather than consumer-facing commercial activity. The financial impact will be distributed across multiple fiscal years as venue build-out begins before the Games and equipment is recovered afterward.
APPENDIX: KEY SOURCES
Official Sources
- Sunbelt Rentals LA28 Page: sunbeltrentals.com/resources/in-the-news/sunbelt-rentals-la28-games/
- LA28 Announcement: la28.org/en/newsroom/sunbelt-rentals-named-official-rental-equipment-solutions-and-services-partner-for-la28.html
- PR Newswire: prnewswire.com/news-releases/sunbelt-rentals-named-official-rental-equipment-solutions-and-services-partner-for-la28-olympic-and-paralympic-games-and-team-usa-302544022.html
Industry Analysis
- Rental Equipment Register: Sunbelt Rentals Named Official Rental Equipment Solutions and Services Partner for LA28
- For Construction Pros: LA28 Names Sunbelt Rentals as Rental Equipment & Services Provider
- ARA Rental Management: Sunbelt named official rental partner for LA28
Financial Filings
- Ashtead Group FY2025 Annual Results
- Ashtead Group FY2024 Annual Results
End of Research Brief