October 2017 Vol. 72 No. 10
Features
Industry Rallies To Bring Hurricane Relief
Editor’s Note:
Underground Construction salutes companies that have donated money, supplies and volunteers to cleaning up and rebuilding Hurricane Harvey’s devastating impact on the Greater Houston area. At press time, Florida and Puerto Rico were starting their relief and rebuilds, and we know there will, again, be an outpouring of support from our industry.
Aegion
Employees at four company locations collectively contributed more than $15,000 and 1,000 hours to help colleagues in Hurricane Harvey rebuilding process. Aegion and its subsidiaries provide services and solutions to protect, strengthen and maintain the world’s infrastructure from degradation and corrosion with a variety of technologies.
AEM
American Equipment Manufacturers donated $5,000 to the American Red Cross to assist with relief efforts following Hurricane Harvey. In addition, AEM-owned trade show, ICUEE – the leading tradeshow and education event for utility professionals and construction contractors – set up a link on its online registration page to make it easy for attendees to donate to the Houston Red Cross.
Doosan Bobcat
Doosan Bobcat is donating more than $325,000 worth of Bobcat equipment and Doosan Portable Power light towers and generators to assist with Hurricanes Harvey and Irma relief efforts. The company is also providing financial assistance to affected Doosan Bobcat North America dealership employees and their families, and Doosan Bobcat North America employees will direct annual charitable drives toward assisting those impacted. In addition, Doosan Bobcat expedited equipment and attachment deliveries to impacted Texas areas in an effort to be immediately prepared for Hurricane Harvey clean-up efforts, and to southern Florida in preparation for Hurricane Irma.
HCSS
HCSS, a construction software company located in Sugar Land, TX, donated $22,000 for supplies needed for home restoration efforts and partnered with Strake Jesuit College Preparatory School in Houston to organize student, employee and community member volunteers to go out into Fort Bend County to clear flood-damaged carpet, padding, drywall, insulation and furniture, and dry and sanitize structures in preparation for rebuilding. Over the Labor Day Holiday weekend, more than 600 volunteers in groups of 10-20 cleared out over 100 homes in Fort Bend County. HCSS customers also donated money and supplies, and an HCSS Harvey Relief fund has raised more than $120,000 to-date.
Komatsu
Komatsu America Corp. donated $250,000 to the American Red Cross, to support Hurricane Harvey relief efforts, and is matching, dollar-for-dollar, all contributions made by its and subsidiary-company employees. The Rolling Hills, IL, company is a U.S. subsidiary of Komatsu Ltd., the world’s second-largest manufacturer and supplier of earth-moving equipment.
Kubota
Kubota Corp., headquartered in Osaka, Japan, donated $1 million in relief funds to include monetary contributions and Kubota equipment to several national and local charitable organizations to aid in the Hurricane Harvey relief efforts. The company also committed to helping the cleanup and restoration efforts by using Kubota construction and tractor equipment where needed in the affected areas.
DCA
The Distribution Contractors Association is providing funds from its Lyons’ Grant to member organizations’ employees most impacted by Hurricane Harvey and flooding.
Caterpillar
The Caterpillar Foundation donated $300,000 to the American Red Cross, along with employee and retiree matching gifts, to aid in immediate Hurricane Harvey relief efforts. Cat dealers across the country, including three in Texas, provided and sent power generation equipment for immediate and clean-up needs. First Response Team of America, a long-time Caterpillar partner, was one of the first to arrive in the impacted areas.
Hyundai
Hyundai Construction Equipment Americas Inc., supported Hurricane Harvey relief efforts through a $50,000 corporate donation to the United Way of Greater Houston. The company, its employees and dealer personnel also collected funds through the end of September, specifically to provide some needed relief for these individuals. Hyundai Forklift donated equipment to a Houston-area nonprofit organization for use in cleanup and rehab efforts.
Wacker-Newson
Wacker-Newson produced generators and water pumps at its Menomonee Falls, WI, factory and sent them for use in Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts. The biggest of the water pumps can move more than 1,300 gallons of water and debris a minute.
John Deere Classic
The John Deere Classic will donate up to $10,000 to Hurricane Harvey Flood Relief via the American Red Cross, in support of the tournament’s 2017 champion, Bryson DeChambeau, who donated $250 for every birdie and $500 for every eagle he recorded for the remainder of the FedExCup Playoffs. DeChambeau, 23, was an All-American at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
United Rentals
Equipment rental company United Rentals pledged a $200,000 donation to the American Red Cross to assist with Hurricane Harvey disaster relief, after its employee-funded 501(c)(3) United Compassion Fund had already granted approximately $100,000 to colleagues in need. Also, volunteer efforts were mobilized among the 13,700 United Rentals employees in North America.
Comments