Both rental companies and construction equipment manufacturers have pledged millions in aid to the tsunami relief efforts in Thailand, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia and India.
Greenwich, Conn.-based United Rentals last month announced it will contribute up to $100,000 in financial support for relief to the Asian countries devastated by the recent earthquake and subsequent tsunami on Dec. 26. The funds will be donated to the American Red Cross International Response Fund.
United Rentals' $100,000 pledge will consist of an initial corporate donation of $25,000 and the company's dollar-for-dollar match of employee contributions up to an additional $75,000, the company says.
The company also announced it would encourage customers to contribute to the Red Cross fund by accepting customer contributions at its more than 730 rental locations throughout North America.
Like United Rentals, The California Rental Association is calling on rental companies to donate to the CRA Tsunami Relief Fund. It is collecting checks to help aid the victims of the disaster.
Savannah, Ga.-based JCB donated $1 million worth of machines to help in the clean-up operation in the Asian earthquake disaster zone. JCB machines were made available through JCB India and also through JCB's dealers in the devastated region.
Moline, Ill.-based The John Deere Foundation, the philanthropic organization of Deere & Company, said it would provide $1 million to support ongoing relief and restoration efforts.
Deere also communicated to company employees information on how they can individually contribute to agencies working on the international effort to respond to the tragedy, including the American Red Cross and dozens of other organizations.
Komatsu Ltd., the Tokyo-based parent company of Komatsu America Corp., announced a pledge of about $2 million worth of aid to assist the victims of the disaster, including an initial cash donation of about $200,000 to the Japanese Red Cross, along with in-kind contributions of construction equipment.
In conjunction with its local subsidiaries and distributors in Southeast Asia, Komatsu dispatched equipment and operators to assist with recovery efforts. In addition, Komatsu America Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of Komatsu Ltd., made a cash donation to the American Red Cross International Response Fund for tsunami relief efforts. Plus, Komatsu America Corp. matched its employees' contributions to the American Red Cross made between Dec. 26 and Jan. 14.
Lake Forest, Ill.-based CNH Global N.V. and its global alliance partner Kobelco Construction Machinery Co., Ltd., jointly pledged to contribute $1 million in aid to the areas devastated by the tsunami. This aid included the supply of relief goods and construction equipment with operators and/or engineers at no cost to disaster-stricken areas.
CNH Global and Kobelco employees also responded to the crisis. Kobelco Construction Machinery Co., Ltd., through its subsidiaries in Singapore, provided relief goods to areas in the region impacted by the Indian Ocean tsunami. CNH Global employees and dealers provided immediate cash contributions to organizations involved in relief operations.
Textron Inc. said it would donate up to $750,000 to assist with relief efforts. Its donation includes an initial company contribution of $250,000 to the American Red Cross International Response Fund's tsunami relief efforts, in addition to a $250,000 grant for a dollar-for-dollar match of employee contributions to the organization.
