United Rentals Renews Partnership with ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”

Put together one very run-down house, a deserving family, several opinionated designers, seven days and what do you get? The answer is “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” — the redesign show that has won ABC two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Reality Program, plus two People’s Choice Awards.

Understanding a good thing when it sees it, United Rentals recently announced that it has renewed its partnership with “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” for the 2009-2010 Season 7, with the Connecticut launch of its 46th “Extreme” build in late June. The award-winning television show continues to rely on United Rentals branches across the country for equipment, expertise and volunteers, including the donated use of more than 2,000 pieces of construction equipment.

The latest build benefits the Hill family of Suffield, Mass. who opened their door on June 21 to discover that they would receive a new home in just seven days, courtesy of the show and hundreds of community volunteers. The United Rentals branch in nearby Ludlow, Mass., organized the delivery of more than 70 pieces of equipment to the site, said Thomas Kennedy, branch manager, who has more than 10 years of experience as a safety trainer to industry groups.

“‘Extreme Makeover’ has always gone onto a site saying ‘safety first,’ which is our position as well,” he said. “United Rentals is a large company but we take a very local approach to community involvement. If our expertise can help someone else, we want to share it. The excitement has been building with our employees, and we intend to support the construction crews around the clock. We’ve also heard from other United Rentals branches in our area that want to help out any way they can. The Hill family is going to come home to a quality house that they can enjoy for years.”

Commenting on renewing the partnership, Michel Kneeland, CEO of United Rentals, said, “We are proud and honored to be the equipment supplier of choice to ‘Extreme Makeover,’ and to support an exciting concept that has benefited so many deserving families. These construction projects are incredible examples of the power of community involvement.”

Conrad Ricketts, “Extreme Makeover” executive producer, who spoke at a United Rentals event earlier this year, told employees, “I want to thank all the great men and women who support this show with their hard work and their hearts. Thank you for joining us in a simple mission, that by helping one, we help us all.”