Five Star Equipment Launches Warhorse Rentals Division

Five Star Equipment, one of the Northeast’s leading John Deere dealerships, is making a significant move into the rental market with the launch of its new division, Warhorse Rentals.

The new business unit reflects a strategic step forward for the company, designed to broaden its customer reach and provide a complete spectrum of jobsite support across Pennsylvania and New York.

According to Bill Bochicchio Jr., COO of Five Star Equipment, the creation of Warhorse Rentals represents a natural evolution for the company — one that aligns with how today’s contractors operate.

“If you’re in the equipment business today, you almost have to be in the rental business if you really want to take care of your customer,” Bochicchio Jr. said. “It’s hard to serve them fully without being able to offer both rent-to-own and rent-to-rent options.”

Stand-Alone Brand With Its Own Identity

Unlike many dealerships that simply append “Rentals” to their name, Five Star chose to build a completely separate identity for its new division.

“A lot of dealers just tack the word ‘Rentals’ onto their name, and it all gets mixed in with the main dealership,” Bochicchio Jr. said. “We wanted to create a clear distinction so customers can see that this is a dedicated operation. That’s why we created Warhorse Rentals — with its own branding, its own staff, and its own focus.”

The long-term vision is to establish Warhorse as a fully independent business line with stand-alone rental facilities in key markets. For now, it is being launched from within Five Star’s existing network of branches while new sites are being scouted and developed.

“The business is operating out of our current locations for the time being,” Bochicchio Jr. said. “But the plan is to expand into separate facilities. We’re already in the process of identifying the right properties in our major markets.”

Two Paths, One Strategy

Five Star has long been active in traditional dealership rentals that allow customers to apply payments toward eventual ownership. Warhorse will complement that program with a full rent-to-rent fleet of compact and aerial equipment designed for short-term and job-specific use.

“We’re basically separating the heavy rent-to-own operation from this new rent-to-rent business,” Bochicchio Jr. said. “Warhorse will focus on the light and medium side — boom lifts, scissor lifts, compaction equipment and the general jobsite support tools that contractors need every day.”

By offering both models, Five Star aims to serve everyone from long-term heavy equipment owners to small contractors who may only need a lift or compactor for a week.

“Our customers use a wide range of tools on their job sites,” he said. “They’ve already relied on us for the larger iron and the service that goes with it. Warhorse allows us to fill in the rest — to be alongside them from shovel to ribbon-cutting.”

Dealer Expertise Gives Warhorse Edge

Bochicchio Jr. sees a clear difference between what a dealer-based rental operation can offer versus a traditional national rental chain.

“When it comes to technical support, parts availability and technology, that’s where a dealer has the advantage,” he said. “We’re a Topcon dealer, we have full-time product support specialists, and we already handle machine setup and calibration. If a contractor wants to try grade control on a rental machine, we can make that happen — and we can send someone to show them how to use it.”

He believes that kind of integrated support simply isn’t available through most large rental chains.

“The national companies do a great job moving equipment,” Bochicchio Jr. said. “But sometimes there are gaps in factory-trained technicians, warranty situations or the manufacturer relationships that we have built. That’s the difference — we can deliver the machine and the know-how.”

Early Launch Sites, Regional Footprint

The rollout of Warhorse Rentals is already under way, anchored by several Five Star locations that have fresh inventory, and begun staffing and building out dedicated rental spaces.

• Orchard Park, N.Y. (Buffalo area) — Four full-time staff members. Looking for an additional field representative.

• Rochester, N.Y. – three full-time staff members. Looking for an additional field representative.

• Syracuse, N.Y. – Looking for two additional field representatives.

• Kirkwood, N.Y. (Binghamton area) — One field representative and looking for an additional field representative and inside coordinator

• Dunmore, Pa. (Scranton area) — A dedicated rental operation is being built out in a converted building adjacent to the dealership. Looking for two additional field representatives.

• Waterford, Pa. (northwest Pennsylvania) — A newly acquired facility next to the existing Five Star location is under renovation and will serve both dealership and Warhorse functions. Looking for an additional field representative.

• Williamsport, Pa. (central Pennsylvania) – In process of identifying external facility for growth.

Together, these sites service the upper-half of Pennsylvania and Western New York.

“We will look to expand from there based on customer needs and market opportunity.” he added.

Manufacturing Partnerships, Product Lineup

While Warhorse Rentals is still in its early stages, Five Star has already secured partnerships with several major brands to complement its John Deere line.

“We have partnerships with a variety of reputable brands in aerial and light equipment,” Bochicchio Jr. said. “The goal is to have a broad, balanced lineup that serves everything from compaction to power generation”

That lineup will include:

• Aerial lifts (boom and scissor)

• Compact loaders, skid steers and excavators

• Compaction equipment

• Generators and air compressors

• Site support and specialty tools

Every unit will be maintained through Five Star’s service network, ensuring the same level of support customers have come to expect from the dealership’s core business, Bochicchio Jr. said.

Customer Experience, Visual Identity

Within existing branches, Warhorse will have its own signage, uniforms and segregated display areas to distinguish it from the dealership’s sales floor.

“It’s important that customers recognize Warhorse as its own operation,” Bochicchio Jr. said. “We don’t want it to feel like just another department in the dealership. It’s its own business, with its own processes, people and goals.”

Machines in the rental fleet will be cleaned, inspected and re-certified before each deployment.

“When a machine goes out, it’s charged, serviced, and ready,” he said. “We’re setting a high standard for presentation and turnaround. Our customers expect that from Five Star, and Warhorse will meet the same expectations.”

Long-Term Investment in Customer Service

For Bochicchio Jr., the move into rentals isn’t just about short-term growth — it’s about positioning Five Star for the next era of the construction equipment industry.

“This isn’t a side project,” he said. “It’s a major investment and a long-term commitment. We believe rental will strengthen our customer relationships and make us more resilient as a company.”

He added that the rental market’s growth has been impossible to ignore — both regionally and nationally — and that Warhorse allows Five Star to meet its customers where the market is headed.

“We see what’s happening,” he said. “Contractors want flexibility. They want options. Warhorse gives us the ability to provide that while maintaining the same level of service and trust that Five Star is built on.”

As the company continues to roll out Warhorse Rentals across its network, Bochicchio Jr. envisions a division that will eventually stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Five Star’s sales and service operations.

“We want Warhorse to grow into a full-scale brand of its own — one that customers recognize immediately,” he said. “At the end of the day, it’s about helping contractors do their jobs more efficiently. If we can give them the right tools at the right time, with dealer-level support behind it, that’s a win for everybody.”

Warhorse Rentals is now operational through Five Star Equipment’s network in Pennsylvania and New York, with expansion continuing through 2026.

For more information, visit www.fivestarequipment.com. CEG