Tent OX Unveils Innovative Partnership with Avant Tecno

How Tent OX and Avant’s “Green machine”
are Changing the Tent and Event Rental Industry

If you’ve been a part of the tent and event rental industry, even for just the last few years, you’ve likely seen Avant Tecno’s compact, but mighty, “green machines” buzzing around a job site. The Avant articulated loader has already taken multiple industries by storm, including landscaping, tree care, property maintenance, snow removal, and construction, and it is now quickly recognized as one of the most valuable tools in the tent and event rental industry. Today, we introduce you to its president of North American operations, Jukka Kytömäki, and announce a new partnership between Avant and Tent OX.

Since 1991, Avant Tecno has manufactured more than 65,000 loaders at their manufacturing plant in Ylöjärvi, Finland and is now producing over 5000 loaders a year. The machines are chock-full of innovative features that focus on efficiency, ease of use, safety, versatility, and ergonomics. That’s the reason they were chosen by Tent OX as the ideal platform for the Tent OX System.

Avant factory in Ylöjärvi, Finland

Beginnings of a partnershipfive years ago

In 2012, Avant Tecno opened its US sales office in Chicago, a year before Tent OX founder Scott Woodruff began searching for the best machinery on which he could build out a line of attachments he was developing for the event rental sector. When Scott discovered the Avant, with articulated steering, turf tires, and 360 degree visibility for the operator, he knew this was a huge improvement over skid steer loaders, the most common machinery used on pole tents. Over a five-year period, Tent OX and Avant established a foundation for cooperation that has sold more than 200 Avant machines to tent rental companies. These years of cooperation have now led to a formal partnership, one that’s good news for the tent rental industry.

Avant location in Chicago, Illinois

Jukka (pictured above) leads sales and distribution for Avant articulated loaders in the United States, and he reached out to Tent OX late last year within a couple of weeks of moving from Finland to Illinois. The subject? Replacing Avant’s existing casual arrangement with a partnership agreement. We chatted recently with him to find out how the partnership came about.

Avant has built an excellent reputation for dependability among Tent OX customers, and in all the markets it serves. How does the company achieve such a consistent and reliable standard of quality? 

Jukka: What it really comes down to is the culture of our company. Avant has always put research and development, quality, and manufacturing at the forefront. Our main goal is to design innovative products that are reliable. Every machine is thoroughly tested and documented first in Finland, then again when it reaches our US headquarters outside of Chicago. This delivers dependability and consistency. Just as important is our customer service. Our US service department helps customers and dealers to maintain and service the machines correctly. Also, we intentionally overstock parts to ensure they are readily available for customers.

You came aboard as President of Avant Tecno USA about a year ago. What is your impression of the tent and event rental industry and the potential it has for Avant sales? 

Jukka: I had heard buzz about Tent OX prior to joining Avant Tecno USA, but had no idea of the magnitude of the market it served until I came to the United States. I was so surprised by the size and sophistication of the industry, and how quickly Tent OX has made a name for itself here. What’s even more impressive is the potential for rapid growth. I think Avant and Tent OX have only begun to scratch the surface.

Jukka at Avant’s location in Chicago

You established a formal partnership with Tent OX after Avant had worked with them informally for more than five years. What led you to pursue a closer working relationship?

Jukka: It felt it was a very natural and necessary step to strengthen our partnership. Given the mostly untapped potential for collaboration and growth, there was no reason not to form this partnership with Tent OX. The big benefit of the partnership for tent and event businesses will be the increased access to Avant machines that are tailor made at the factory to tent industry specifications. You will be able to get them quicker than before. Also, Avant and Tent OX will join forces to increase marketing and education. This isn’t just important for sales, it’s important for buyers to receive the right information to use the machine correctly and to its full ability.

Other companies are starting to follow Avant’s lead to develop articulated loaders. How has your multi-year relationship with Tent OX helped Avant get a big head start selling loaders into the tent and event rental industry?

Jukka: Avant is the original articulated compact loader or a multi-tool carrier as it is sometimes described over here in the U.S., , but certainly competing companies are trying to produce their own version of our machine. We have started to see this happen in various industries already, but the market is still very immature. Fortunately, combined with the brand power of Tent OX, we have the benefit of being known in the industry already. Some tent and event companies have been using our machines for several years. Quite honestly, we welcome the competition because the demand is so great. Competition makes everyone strive to be better, and it helps spread the word in the market!

Avant now manufactures machine configurations specifically for Tent OX to meet the unique functional needs of tent and event customers, and it is also introducing an 800 series machine, its largest to date.  What is your vision for Avant’s partnership with Tent OX? And what are the next big things coming down the line? 

Jukka: I can’t overemphasize my excitement to be working so closely with Tent OX. Their team is incredibly hard working and shares the same values as Avant. I think our combined innovation and dedication to quality is going to yield even more advancements in tools and technology down the road.

As for our 800 series machine, this is a very exciting advancement for tent and event businesses. We just got the production schedule and expect to have machines arriving as early as October. It has the power of a 10,000-pound machine, but it weighs far less. What’s incredible is that this machine offers the same agility and versatility – and ability to glide over turf without damaging it – as the rest of the Avant models.