Rain for Rent - Our History 

Mission Statement

Statement of Values

• To provide solutions for our customers that exceed their service and quality expectations.
• To encourage, develop, and recognize the efforts of our employees and suppliers.
• To make a positive contribution to the communities in which we live and work.
• To do it all with honesty, integrity, and commitment.
• To make friends in the course of good business

WOSCO and Charles Lake

Rain for Rent started when Charles Lake arrived in Bakersfield, California and began Western Oilfields Supply Company (WOSCO) in 1934. Rain for Rent evolved from that original company and since that time has been a leader in the irrigation, liquid, and solid handling business.

What initially started as a business selling used oilfield equipment has now grown to be an international company. Rain for Rent has offices across the North American continent. The following timeline illustrates highlights and history of Rain for Rent in its first 72 years.

1930s

During the Depression in the 1930s WOSCO dealt in used pipe, oilfield products and used boiler tubing. On the manufacturing side, WOSCO manufactured water well casing and clothesline poles in order to survive the hard times. They also handled drill pipe repair and resleeving threaded oilfield tubular products.

In 1936, WOSCO moved to its present location on State Road in Bakersfield.

1940s

During the 1940s the oilfields were booming and WOSCO's attentions focused on the thriving agricultural industry that was sweeping California. Irrigation pipe made from 30" pieces of boiler tubing was the company's first agricultural product. Hundreds of thousands were sold.

In 1948, the WOSCO Foundry began to produce its first aluminum couplers. 

After World War II, Mr. Lake's sons joined the business full time and began more expansion. International markets for WOSCO products were found and construction and waste water reclamation industries were explored.

1960s

By 1969 WOSCO acquired an aluminum tube mill for the manufacturing of six and eight inch aluminum mainline and gated pipe.

The company continued to acquire tube mills to manufacture tubing from 1 1/4 to 12 inch.

1970s

In 1977, Lake received the Irrigation Association's Industry Achievement Award for developing the irrigation equipment rental industry. That same year, Lake Company was established to develop wholesale markets for quality irrigation products.

West Side Pump, a growing irrigation and pump company in San Joaquin, California, was acquired by WOSCO in 1979.

1980s

In 1980 the company sold its first major drip irrigation system composed of 13 million feet of drip hose.

Crown American, an irrigation and equipment manufacturing plant in Eugene, Oregon, was acquired by WOSCO in 1981.

In 1982, Lake International Irrigation was organized to develop irrigation projects in markets around the world.

1990s

In 1991, Land and Marine Tank Service was acquired which launched the company's expansion into the liquid storage tank and rolloff box rental business on a national basis.

Rain for Rent manufactured 3,100 umbrellas for the epic art project (Christo and Jeanne-Claude) "The Umbrellas, Joint Project for Japan and U.S.A.".  Eight million pounds of aluminum were used.  Christo’s umbrellas were displayed in Japan and California. 

1994, Power Prime™ Pumps was created to manufacture and sell industrial pumps.

1998, the Specialty Rental Division (SRD) was created to provide water filtration systems rentals to the industrial market.

During the 1990s, Rain For Rent expanded its industrial business nationally to 51 branch offices.The combination of top notch engineering services, application knowledge and the highest quality equipment in the industry has allowed the company to provide innovative liquid and solids handling solutions that offer customers money-saving opportunities.

2000s

2003, Rain for Rent won the Trenchless Technology "Project of the Year" for a five-mile long sewer bypass in Tucson, Arizona. Rain for Rent provided the pumps, pipe, and personnel to install and oversee the job.

2004, Rain for Rent hosted President George W. Bush for his second in a series of economic conversations.

And into the future...

The Lake family continues the strong tradition and commitment set forth by Rain for Rent's founder, Charles P. Lake, who passed away in 1988. The entire Lake family remains dedicated to Charles Lake's vision of quality products and first rate service.