The months of putting the big squeeze on rates and operations might be about to pay off. The party rental business is predicting a better year in 2011, with 61 percent saying they expect to handle more events this year than they did in 2010. The findings come from the survey conducted annually for the last nine years by Penton Media, parent of Special Events. The figure is a sharp increase from two years ago, when only 37 percent predicted a better year ahead.

Many of the bigger party rental operators — those on the Special Events' “30 Top Event Rental Companies” list — say that two strategies have kept them afloat through the recession: streamlining operations and offering a wide variety of quality products to clients. And they predict that more of same will be the secret of success in 2011.

Management at Minneapolis-based Apres Party Rental will follow this mantra in 2011: “Quality products, quality service, competitive pricing, and execution with minimal errors,” notes chief operating officer Michael Feldbaum.