Last year we bought the self-erecting, full-sized tower and training divisions of Eagle West Cranes and renamed ourselves the Bigfoot Crane Company. Since then we have been an integral part of many construction projects in Western Canada either selling or renting cranes.
When the market collapsed in 2008 the construction industry in general slowed down and therefore the need for cranes. Recently, however, the demand for cranes and crane services has increased and 2015 has been a busy year so far, with the expectation of a steady stream of work to come. Our positive forecast for the coming year seems to be an accurate picture of our industry, as shared by Crane & Rigging Hotline magazine in their February issue where they discuss the tower crane industry outlook for the year.
Part of why we love the work that we do is because we have the opportunity to be a part of something larger. For decades we will see the buildings we’ve helped to build standing tall, offering themselves as landmarks, homes and workplaces to many people. One of these projects is the new Trump International Hotel & Tower in Vancouver, BC. The twisting luxury tower made of glass and steel will be 63 stories upon its scheduled opening in 2016.
Lift and Access magazine wrote an article explaining our role in this iconic building. In the construction process of the Trump International Hotel & Tower the contractors were unsure how to put together the pieces of a steel canopy that was planned to be at 70 feet above the street between two high-rise buildings. Fortunately, our Managing Director, Ryan Burton, was able to offer an innovative solution to the challenge, through the placement of a Potain HD40A self-erecting crane atop a 20 foot engineered platform. We rented the crane and platform to the construction team for three months, allowing them to set approximately 200 pieces of canopy, in addition to transporting other heavy materials around the work site.
Our team is glad to have the opportunity to offer our services to many important construction projects throughout Western Canada as our region continues to develop and grow. We are looking forward to a busy 2015 of selling and renting the highest quality cranes and accessories available on the market.
