Steffy Cranes, Ephrata, PA, is taking its customers to new heights with the help of Grove Cranes and L.B. Smith Inc., Camp Hill, PA. Steffy Cranes recently purchased a Grove GMK 5210, the largest unit of this crane rental house, to meet the growing needs of its customers.
The history of Steffy Cranes Inc. is traced to Ira G. Steffy & Son’s first crane purchase in 1985 for steel erection. Four cranes later, in 1988, Steffy Cranes was incorporated.
Business continued to grow and in 1992, the company purchased its 120-ton Grove hydraulic crane. As the customer based continued and expanded, the company built a Steffy Cranes facility in 1997. In 1998, the company purchased its 175-ton Grove hydraulic crane and as the millennium arrived, it added a 70-ton Grove and a 210-ton Grove hydraulic crane to the company fleet.
“As our customer base grows, their needs expand to larger machines,” said Dennis Steffy, president, Steffy Cranes. “We’re seeing an increased demand for machines that can lift heavier materials to higher points. The 210 has the perfect mix of high-lift capabilities and wide working radius.”
The 210-ton crane features a six-section hydraulic pinned main boom of 197 ft. With a maximum tip height of 332 ft., the crane offers a working radius of 245 ft.
With previous experience with the Grove product and a good relationship with L.B. Smith’s Terry Wilhelm, Steffy knew he was making the right decision with the GMK 5210. The unit is the seventh Grove crane in Steffy Cranes’ fleet, rounding the line up from 28 tons to 218 tons.
“We’ve had a good team relationship with the Grove and L.B. Smith,” said Steffy. “L.B. Smith supports us with Johnny-on-the-spot service and Grove backs us with quality equipment and outstanding parts distribution.
“With the Grove parts distribution facility and L.B. Smith within an hour of our front door, we can get our cranes up and running in virtually no time," he added.
Steffy Cranes’ operators and management frequently visit the Grove manufacturing facility in nearby Shady Grove, PA. Accompanied by L.B. Smith team members, Steffy crews are introduced to and trained on the newest Grove equipment.
Today, Steffy Cranes Inc. dispatches crews daily to a host of work sites throughout Pennsylvania, and with the company’s growing success, the employees have not forgotten the philosophy that the company was built on: “24-hour service with professional operators to serve you better.”
Steffy Cranes Inc. has done a variety of jobs; from setting trusses for churches to setting statues on the Pennsylvania state capital building. Crews are available for emergency situations and have worked around-the-clock to get the job done.
Maintenance and safety, said Steffy, are a prime concern. “Our cranes are checked daily and our lifting equipment is inspected and documented on a regular schedule,” said Steffy. “All of our cranes are inspected yearly by an outside agency and certified to conform to OSHA and ANSI standards. We also established a Safety Committee Program in January of 2000.
“We’re taking care of our customers with the best equipment and highly trained operators,” continued Steffy. “We send guys out in the field who have 25 years of experience in the industry. We’ve got the experience to do the job and we send the expertise to get the job done. Our organization has a lot of depth, we field-check every job. Our crews know how to handle any situation from working around power lines to working in tight spots.”
Serving customers from a 100-mile radius of Ephrata, Steffy Cranes’ units are backed by L.B. Smith 24-hour service and support.
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