United Rentals

Brad Jacobs launched United Rentals in 1997 with a simple goal: build the biggest rental fleet in North America. The strategy worked. By 2025, the company managed roughly 4,800 classes of machinery worth $20.59 billion in original cost. Their network spans 1,600 locations across all 50 U.S. states, every Canadian province, Puerto Rico, and select markets in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.

Matthew Flannery now serves as president and CEO, steering the firm through a period of massive growth that saw revenue climb from $6.64 billion in 2017 to $15.35 billion in 2024. The company supplies everything from boom lifts and excavators to safety gear and tools for utilities, municipalities, and homeowners. They also handle used equipment sales and run training programs to keep their vast workforce safe on job sites.

The brand recently faced difficult headlines beyond its usual business operations. A shooting at a facility in Manassas, Virginia, on September 30, 2026, left two employees dead and one injured before police located the suspect, a coworker, who was found dead at the scene. Earlier that year, a Boise branch sparked controversy by sponsoring the Heterosexual Awesomeness Festival, an event criticized for its anti-LGBTQ+ stance despite the local manager defending the sponsorship. [edit]