Essex Rental Corp. Provides Update on Recommendation to De-Stagger the Board of Directors

BUFFALO GROVE, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Essex Rental Corp. (OTC Pink: ESSX) ("Essex" or the "Company") today is providing stockholders additional information regarding management's recommendation to vote in favor of de-staggering the Board of Directors at the Company's upcoming Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on August 25, 2016.

Management recommends voting FOR Proposal 1 (Amend Certificate of Incorporation) for two reasons:

- De-staggered boards are universally recognized as promoting greater accountability of directors by enabling stockholders to elect directors annually. Management believes that this single most important use of the stockholder franchise should be afforded to Company stockholders, particularly during this very challenging economic period for the Company's business during which management must address significant financial and operational matters and continuously consider strategic alternatives. By voting in favor of Proposal 1, stockholders are voting for the right to evaluate annually the effectiveness of the Board, and to make annual changes to the Board that they deem warranted through the annual election of directors.

- By voting to de-stagger the Board, stockholders have the opportunity to immediately install a slate of directors limited to respected industry veterans and very significant long-term stockholders. Management believes that its recommended director nominees should have undeniable value-adding experience and qualifications and/or a significant vested economic interest in the Company in the form of long-term and significant Common Stock ownership. A majority of our Nominating Committee and Board members believe that our slate of nominees, including Mr. Campbell, a long-term significant stockholder, and Mr. Schumacher, who has over 55 years of industry experience, meet such criteria and, subject to stockholders' ultimate determination, is the best slate of directors to move the company forward.

The determination to recommend de-staggering the Board as provided in Proposal 1 was formulated with the support of several significant holders of our Common Stock, including stockholders who a year ago supported the election of Mr. Keddie and Mr. Climaco and who now support the proposal to de-stagger the Board and elect our recommended slate of directors, which does not include Mr. Keddie or Mr. Climaco.

The Board recommends that stockholders vote "FOR" the approval of the amendments to the Company's certificate of incorporation to immediately eliminate the classification of our directors and provide that nominees for director and directors may not sit on more than four public company boards; "FOR" the election of the five nominees to serve for a term of one year and until their successors have been duly elected and qualified, assuming Proposal 1 is approved; and "FOR" the election of one Class A nominee to serve for a term of one year and until his successor has been duly elected and qualified and four Class B Directors to serve for a term of two years and until their successors have been duly elected and qualified if Proposal 1 is not approved.

The Company mailed to stockholders a proxy statement and other documents related to the 2016 annual meeting on or about July 27, 2016. THE COMPANY'S STOCKHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT AND ANY OTHER RELATED MATERIALS, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO SUCH MATERIALS BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPANY, THE 2016 ANNUAL MEETING AND RELATED MATTERS. Stockholders may obtain a free copy of the Company's proxy statement at:

http://www.viewproxy.com/essexrental/2016/.

Please vote by telephone or internet as provided in the proxy card or by mail by filling in, dating and signing the proxy card provided with our previously delivered proxy statement, and mailing it promptly in the postage-paid envelope provided to make sure that your shares are represented at the Meeting. If you attend the Meeting in person, you may, if you desire, revoke your proxy and choose to vote in person even if you had previously sent in your proxy card.

About Essex Rental Corp.

Essex, through its subsidiaries, is one of North America's largest providers of rental and distribution for mobile cranes (including crawler cranes, truck cranes and rough terrain cranes), self-erecting cranes, stationary tower cranes, elevators and hoists, and other lifting equipment used in a wide array of construction projects. In addition, the Company provides product support including installation, maintenance, repair, and parts and services for equipment provided and other equipment used by its construction industry customers. With a large fleet, consisting primarily of cranes, as well as other construction equipment and unparalleled customer service and support, Essex supplies a wide variety of innovative lifting solutions for construction projects related to power generation, petro-chemical, refineries, water treatment and purification, bridges, highways, hospitals, shipbuilding, offshore oil fabrication and industrial plants, and commercial and residential construction.

Some of the statements in this press release and other written and oral statements made from time to time by Essex and its representatives are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements include statements regarding the intent and belief or current expectations of Essex and its management team and may be identified by the use of words like "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "may", "plan", "will", "should", "seek", the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Essex's expectations include, without limitation, the vote of stockholders at the annual meeting, the continued ability of Essex to successfully execute its business plan, the possibility of a change in demand for the products and services that Essex provides, intense competition which may require us to lower prices or offer more favorable terms of sale, our reliance on third party suppliers, our indebtedness which could limit our operational and financial flexibility and any actions of our lenders in relation to events of default under our indebtedness, global economic factors including interest rates, general economic conditions, geopolitical events and regulatory changes, our dependence on our management team and key personnel, as well as other relevant risks detailed on our website, www.essexrentalcorp.com. The factors listed here are not exhaustive. Many of these uncertainties and risks are difficult to predict and beyond management's control. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, results or events. Essex assumes no obligation to update or supplement forward-looking information in this press release whether to reflect changed assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events or changes in future operating results or financial conditions, or otherwise.

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