ARRI Rental farewell: ARRI sells global rental business and focuses on core business
[13:16 Mon,13.July 2026 � by Thomas Richter] ���
ARRI has announced the sale of ARRI Rental, one of the world's leading rental companies for professional camera, lighting, and grip equipment for film, TV, and advertising productions. The business division responsible for this in Europe, the UK, and North America is being acquired by a management buy-out team with the participation of the investor H2 Equity Partners. Illumination Dynamics, which operates separately from ARRI Rental but is also owned by ARRI and specializes in lighting and mobile power generation technology, is excluded from this deal and will remain with ARRI.
ARRI restructuring following change of ownership
It was only in April that ARRI was acquired by the Riedel Group following a year-long search for an investor. The sale of the rental business is part of ARRI's realignment by its new owner. It is justified by the structural conflict of interest that has existed until now: as a manufacturer that also rents out equipment itself, ARRI (Rental) inevitably competes with a portion of its own customer base, namely independent rental companies worldwide.
Through this spin-off, ARRI intends to focus entirely on the development, production, and marketing of camera, lighting, and software technology in the future, positioning itself as a neutral technology partner for the entire industry. The move is understandable, as ARRI's dual role as both manufacturer and rental provider had been causing friction in the rental industry for some time.
Who is taking over the business?
Interestingly, ARRI Rental will remain under expert leadership, as the existing UK-based ARRI Rental management team is taking over the new, independent rental company as part of a management buy-out, supported by H2 Equity Partners. After a transition phase, the new company is expected to operate under its own brand – what this will be called is not yet known.
New ARRI Rental CEO Dana Harrison
What does this mean for film productions?
According to the new CEO of ARRI Rental, Dana Harrison, little will change for ARRI Rental customers initially: she promises customers the same teams, the same standards, and the same reliability as before. ARRI itself intends to remain a closer technology partner for all rental companies – not just for its own, now spun-off division. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.
ARRI's new path
With the sale of ARRI Rental, a leaner, more focused business model is emerging, moving toward closer integration with the broadcast and live entertainment expertise of the new owner, the Riedel Group. For the struggling rental industry itself, the news is likely to bring a certain sense of relief, as ARRI Rental will no longer be a competitor that simultaneously had access to manufacturer pricing.
