Associate of the Year – United Rentals Trench Safety

Founded in 1997, United Rentals is the largest equipment rental company in the world, with a store network nearly three times the size of any other provider, and locations in 49 states and 10 Canadian provinces. In fact, the company surpassed the $8 billion mark in annual revenue in 2018 on the heels of recent acquisitions.

But at the core of its success is helping the client get the job done right, for the right price, and safely. That’s where United Rentals Trench Safety comes in. United Rentals operates approximately 85 Trench Safety stores, providing rental solutions, including training, for excavation needs. United Rentals helps contractors from start to finish, providing training and engineering in addition to supplying equipment.

Each member of the United Rentals Trench Safety Engineering Team is responsible for developing, designing and implementing site-specific shoring, shielding and other structural support systems for heavy construction trench and excavation projects that meet OSHA rules and regulations. Once the plan is in place, United Rentals Trench Safety offers a suite of trench products: Trench Shoring, Trench Shielding, Engineered Systems, Lasers and Optical Instruments, Confined Spaces Safety Equipment, Bedding Boxes, Road Plates, Traffic Safety, and Manhole and Pipe Testing Equipment.

Given the synergy between United Rentals Trench Safety and the needs of utility contractors, joining forces with NUCA was a logical step. For more than 20 years, United Rentals has maintained active NUCA memberships for dozens of branches – more than any other member. United Rentals has participated as a National Partner Sponsor since the program’s inception. In 2017, United Rentals upgraded its partnership level from Sustaining to Silver.

Among the United Rentals leaders for the utility construction industry are Paul I. McDonnell, Executive Vice President – Sales and Specialty Operations, Todd M. Hayes, Vice President – Trench Safety Region, and Richard Overman, Region Product Development Manager.

United Rentals has played a critical and unprecedented role in developing multiple new NUCA chapters and new members. More than a dozen United Rentals staff members have made significant contributions of their time and resources to support of this endeavor. Their commitment and passion for NUCA and the industry has yielded incredible results.

For their dedication to NUCA, NUCA would like to recognize a few United Rentals individuals who have helped play key roles throughout the country: Lance Palmer, Ed Wernsman, Jeff Hughes and Brett Weipert in the NUCA of the Greater Kansas City Region; John Thompson and Stacy Irons, NUCA of Colorado; Eric Juhl and Jeremy Neill, NUCA of Nebraska; Tom Thompson, NUCA of North Texas; Mike Kavanaugh, NUCA of DC; Mark Christman and Troy Canoy, NUCA of Eastern Washington and North Idaho; John Anderson and Steven Whitehouse, NUCA of Middle Tennessee; and Bill McClaflin, NUCA of North Dakota.

The Associate Member of the Year Award is NUCA’s most distinguished annual recognition of an associate member. These organizations stand out from the crowd by their actions and support of NUCA, its members, and the industry.

RELATED: Habrock Named NUCA’s Ditchdigger of the Year Tags: May June 2019 Print Issue, NUCA Associate of the Year, United Rentals Trench Safety