Rozell Industries Expands Options With Crane Purchases

Mon June 12, 2006
Kate Zanoni

Rozell Industries Inc. is a diverse company based in Queensbury, NY, which offers a variety of services, including a growing crane-for-hire service.

With Rozell’s extensive work in building erection and steel fabrication, the company often uses a variety of cranes.

In 2001, the company purchased its first crane, a Terex T340, a 40-ton (36.3 t) machine. The truck-mounted crane has 94 ft. (28.7 m) of boom and 127 ft. (38.7 m) of jib and was purchased from Woods CRW Corp., in Williston, VT.

The decision to purchase the crane arose when Rozell Industries contracted a job doing extensive repairs on a dam at an area hydro-electric plant. Renting a crane would have cost $30,000, so Rozell purchased the Terex from Woods CRW to finish this job and for use on future job sites. The Terex T340 was a demo unit that Woods CRW had in stock that met Rozell’s needs. That purchase marked the beginning of a working relationship between Rozell and Woods CRW that has continued ever since.

Following the dam repair, Rozell Industries purchased a small fleet of cranes and developed its crane rental division. When the Terex T340 is not in use, Rozell rents it out as part of this division. All of Rozell’s cranes are rented with an operator and most of the rentals occur within a two-hour radius of its Queensbury, NY, location.

Rozell’s Fleet Grows

Satisfied with its first purchase from Woods CRW, Rozell Industries bought a second crane, a Terex boom truck, to add to the fleet. Over the past five years, Rozell has purchased four cranes from Woods CRW. The most recent acquisition was a Link-Belt 8660 truck crane, which features 110 ft. (33.5 m) of main boom, 51 ft. (15.5 m) of extendable jib, and a total tip height of 167 ft. (51 m).

“We needed to purchase this 60-ton crane to fill a void in our crane lineup and its size was the next obvious step up for us,” said Brian Rozell, president of Rozell Industries. “We were very fortunate to get the crane [because they] have been in very short supply for the last few years.

“Chris Palmer at Woods CRW Corp. had this crane scheduled to come out of production from Link-Belt and we grabbed it,” added Rozell. “We ordered the crane in January and took possession the first of March.”

According to Rozell, business has been booming ever since the Link-Belt joined the fleet.

“We have really been pleased with the rental demand for the machine,” said Rozell. “Once word got out that we had it, it has been kept very busy. About 60 percent of the crane’s use is on our own jobs and it is out on rent nearly all of the rest of the time.

“Because of the professional way we have been treated by Woods CRW Corp., we returned to them for the purchase of the new Link-Belt 8690 truck crane,” said Rozell. “[They] have done a great job in working out the tweaks or resolving any technical challenges that have arisen with cranes we have purchased from them. ”

The Link-Belt 8690 features 140 ft. (42.7 m) of main boom, 90 ft. (27.4 m) of extendable jib and a total tip height of 230 ft. (70.1 m).

Rozell also has been pleased with the Link-Belt’s performance. The crane can be driven down the highway at 66 mph, which has been useful and convenient for Rozell Industries.

“We have had tremendous success with Link-Belt, Terex and Woods CRW Corp.,” said Rozell. “The Terex machines are real workhorses and although the Link-Belt machines are a little more sophisticated, they adapt to far many more applications.”

About Rozell

Peter Rozell and his three sons, Brian, Mike and Peter, founded Rozell Industries Inc. in 1981. The company’s market area includes the Capital District and North Country of New York State.

The company got its start serving the paper mills that are abundant in the Adirondack Mountain region of New York State. As the company grew, it expanded to doing contract work for the area’s cement, textile, chemical and papermaking plants.

Rozell currently offers several services, including:

• Mechanical contracting

• Plumbing contractor services

• Pipefitting

• Specialized welding (Arc, spot, MIG and TIG)

• Custom sheet metal fabrication

• Custom machine guarding

• Custom tank fabrication and fabrication of pressure vessels

• Hired crane service

• General construction

With the ability to work with engineers and their support staff, Rozell Industries is able to tackle a number of other jobs as well, such as installing roller coasters, wave pools, pavilions and site work. Rozell also offers repair work and modifications to existing amusement park rides.

Rozell Industries is A.S. M.E. Certified and has grown to include approximately 150 employees working from the company’s manufacturing facility in the Warren-Washington County Airport Industrial Park. CEG