Sunstate Equipment Co. LLC takes its slogan, “Rental People You Can Depend On,” very seriously. That’s been a constant since the company was founded 45 years ago with a single store and as it grew into one of the nation’s largest equipment rental providers with numerous locations across 15 states.

“Customer satisfaction is our top priority,” said Duayne Truax, who is the district service manager for six Sunstate Equipment locations along Colorado’s Front Range and is based out of the Commerce City (Denver) store. “Our people know how to match equipment to customer needs, and they are empowered to make decisions they believe are in customers’ best interests. We go above and beyond to take care of them.”

Truax said the same has been true of Rocky Mountain Powertrain (RMPT), a company he has worked with for about six years for service and repairs on several Sunstate Equipment machines. RMPT’s shop is located just down the road from Sunstate Equipment’s Commerce City facility. Early work mainly involved axle repairs and brake jobs on telehandlers.

“One of the first things that struck me in our initial conversations was how well our customer service philosophies align,” Truax recalled. “I knew Matt Ayriss (RMPT president) and Dan Ayriss (RMPT operations manager) were committed to taking care of us. I’m all about honesty and communication, and I was assured right away that they are too. That hasn’t changed since we met.”

“Our relationship has grown,” Truax added. “We talk weekly about what we have in their shop or what Sunstate may be sending RMPT’s way. During the past six years, they have probably done close to 100 repairs for us. At first, it was just those small items, but it quickly expanded to others.”

These days, RMPT is doing more engine work, including rebuilds, as well as transmissions on aerial equipment. RMPT rebuilt the transmission in a skid loader and worked with Sunstate Equipment to have some line boring done.

More than powertrain

As their name implies, RMPT specializes in the servicing and rebuilding/replacing of off-highway transmissions, axles and power takeoffs. However, RMPT offers much more, including complete equipment refurbishment. With a full-service machine shop, RMPT provides work on engine blocks, crankshafts, connecting rods and cylinder heads.

RMPT also offers full service on diesel fuel-related items, which includes injection repair. All components are disassembled, inspected, repaired and rebuilt, and all worn components are replaced with OEM (original equipment manufacturer) parts for quality assurance. This includes pump repairs and turbo rebuilding. RMPT further provides service on diesel engines such as overhauls, replacement engines and specialized machining.

“I think what sets us apart is our capacity to handle a large volume of repairs, as well as our capabilities to work on a lot of diverse equipment,” said Matt Ayriss, who founded RMPT in 2008; the business became part of the CK Power Family of Companies in 2020. “RMPT is filling a real need in the market because a lot of places that traditionally performed these services either discontinued the offering or are out of business.”

“As an example, a customer may need an exchange or replacement of an item and can’t get it,” added Dan Ayriss, who joined RMPT in 2015. “We can be their solution from sourcing through rebuilding and other services. We will work with them to ensure it gets done in a timely manner and limits their downtime as much as possible. That’s helped us build a level of trust with customers such as Sunstate, as well as other solid relationships.”

Committed to quality, dependable equipment

Truax said that Sunstate Equipment is committed to having and maintaining a high-quality, dependable fleet. He emphasized that RMPT plays a big role in that, and he likes that RMPT is an authorized repair facility for brands such as Deutz engines and Skyjack equipment in the Denver area.

“If we rent machinery that doesn’t help meet production goals because it breaks down, customers will take their business elsewhere,” said Truax. “We have our own highly trained technicians that have the abilities to complete services and repairs, but when we need additional resources, we lean on RMPT. They have an excellent staff of technicians with knowledge and expertise to get jobs done right and with the quickest turnaround possible."

I really like that RMPT has a dynamometer, so they can perform tests and verify repairs — and provide a solid warranty. I have every confidence in their work, and I have recommended RMPT to other Sunstate service managers as well as friends with large equipment that may need repairs.”