In 1977, the rental industry, along with the Arizona economy, was in a serious downturn. Many “experts,” including those at Apache Rentals (the company where our founder, Mike Watts, was employed), thought the industry would never be viable again. An innovative thinker who was accustomed to “going against the grain,” Mike purchased Beldon Rentals, a single store in Phoenix, Arizona. Even though Mike was unable to borrow the money on his own, his vision for success convinced Beldon’s owners that he would be a strong partner, and the company that would eventually become Sunstate Equipment was born.