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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RenTrain, The St. Paul Companies & USI Rental Specialties Announce Business Alliance
Boulder, CO, December 1, 2002 - RenTrain Inc., a provider of safety and training information to the rental industry has announced a business/marketing alliance with The St Paul Companies, St. Paul, Minn., and USI Rental Specialties, Irvine, Calif. The three companies are working together to market the RenTrain product to rental dealers throughout the United States.
RenTrain has developed a comprehensive safety and training program, specific to individual pieces of equipment typically found in a rental center's inventory that is delivered electronically over the web. The systems functions as a means to educate and instruct end users of rented equipment in addition to providing an effective means of training for rental center employees.
The St. Paul is the country's leading liability underwriter of rental dealers, currently insuring approximately 1,400 independent rental centers. USI is St. Paul's agency of record. Together, the three companies have developed a comprehensive, national marketing program. The chief component of the program is that St. Paul policyholders can receive an approximate 30 percent discount for a RenTrain subscription, should they choose to become a RenTrain client.
St. Paul and USI both will significant roles in the new alliance. USI representatives have received training in the RenTrain product and will function as front-line sales reps in the field in conjunction with already established calls on rental center owners and managers. St. Paul has agreed to provide significant marketing support for the RenTrain product in the form of sales literature, demonstration products, etc.
"This represents an exciting and important development for us as a company and the rental industry in general," said Jim Ziegler, RenTrain's CEO. "Our goal as a company is to develop a safety standard for the rental industry that will make the entire rental option a safer, more efficient and more productive experience. Safety is and should be a primary concern for every rental center. Our product is designed with that in mind and we are extremely pleased that St. Paul and USI have recognized and endorsed what we're doing."
According to Gary Brown, The St. Paul's risk control director, the alliance represents a fortuitous turn of events.
"Our risk control department had been considering developing a program very similar to that which RenTrain already has developed," Brown said. "Jim Ziegler happened to stop by our booth at last year's ARA Show and when he told me what his company was up to, I immediately was interested. As an insurance company we're obviously concerned with anything that will help make the rental industry safer, and we feel that RenTrain is definitely on the right track in that regard. We're very excited about this alliance."
According to Gary Brown, The St. Paul's risk control director, the alliance represents a fortuitous turn of events.
"Our risk control department had been considering developing a program very similar to that which RenTrain already has developed," Brown said. "Jim Ziegler happened to stop by our booth at last year's ARA Show and when he told me what his company was up to, I immediately was interested. As an insurance company we're obviously concerned with anything that will help make the rental industry safer, and we feel that RenTrain is definitely on the right track in that regard. We're very excited about this alliance."
Jim Bankson, executive vice president of USI Rental Specialties also expressed enthusiasm for the alliance.
"Anytime our field agents can add something to their offerings that will help their rental clients run a safer operation, it goes without saying that we take a hard look at it," Bankson said. "RenTrain has developed a product that could go a long way toward doing just that. I strongly encourage all rental center owners/managers to give this product a good look."
For more information about RenTrain, please call the company toll-free at 866-932-7368, contact your USI Rental Specialties sales agent or visit RenTrain on the web at www.rentrain.com. For more information on St. Paul and USI, please visit their websites at www.stpaul.com and www.usi-insurance.com.
Editorial Contact:
Steve Lillybeck, VP Publishing, RenTrain, Inc
866-932-7368
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