When he investigated the Demag AC 100-4L, Keence found a crane that aligned with the company’s lifting needs. However, many of the cranes he found in the 120-U.S.-ton (100-tonne) class had five axles. “I was looking for a compact and reliable crane with the best load chart for our cell phone tower work,” he says. He explains he conducted in-depth research on which cranes would best suite CK Crane’s current and future applications. However, CK Crane was passing up too much work, which made it necessary for the company to go big. “That’s a large step for a small company like ours,” adds Keence. Customer requests and the potential to expand its cell phone tower business started to make it clear the company needed a 120-U.S.-ton (100-tonne) class crane. “Customers asked us to step up in crane size for years,” says Keence, owner of CK Crane, “and we did so last year by adding a 65-U.S.-ton (59-tonne) class rough terrain crane.” Over the years, CK Crane’s customer base and market opportunities have grown, putting a strain on the company’s small crane fleet. Formed by Chris Keence during the challenging post 9-11 market conditions of 2001, CK Crane carved its niche in steel building erection, installing roof-mounted chillers, and serving the residential, commercial and industrial market segments. This was the scenario playing out for Union, Mo.-based CK Crane Service. As a reward, customers demand more from these successful small businesses, often stretching them beyond their capabilities. They work hard, take care of business, and complete projects on time in order to build their reputation and customer base.

Some companies grow to be victims of their own success.

Demag ac 100 load chart