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Associated Industrial Riggers Inc. has strengthened its fleet with the addition of a new 2024 Tadano AC 6.300-1, purchased from Empire Crane Company. The investment supports the company’s commitment to delivering top-tier lifting solutions across the Southeast U.S.
“Tadano has owned the R/T market for the past 20-plus years, with units that are bulletproof in design and dependability,” said Jim Burke, president of Associated Industrial Riggers. “This made it an easier decision to stay in the Tadano family line.”
The six-axle crane features a 262-foot main boom and a compact undercarriage for enhanced maneuverability, along with quick setup and teardown for increased efficiency. Associated selected a model equipped with a luffing jib, providing a strong load chart and extended reach.
“Versatility is enormous with this unit,” Burke added. “This six-axle crane can go out as a fully dressed 350-ton crane with a luffer, or we can remove counterweights and quickly turn it into a 200-ton as needed. This allows us greater flexibility, reach and range for the marketplace.”
Customer demand played a key role in the purchase. “We’ve had a lot of customers asking us to help with bigger and bigger projects,” Burke explained. “The 300-350-ton market seemed to have the greatest number of requests, which also helped us in the decision for this unit. When we looked to purchase it, it really boiled down to one word: Value.”
The crane is already at work on major projects at Walt Disney World and Universal Studios.
Burke credited Empire Crane’s service and support for making the purchase seamless. “Empire Crane Company has always helped us in the past and served us well. We all know that buying specialized equipment is only as good as the support you receive and the dealership that sold it to you,” he said. “They’re a family-owned business and the owners treated us just like we were part of the family. Luke and Paul [Lonergan] are involved and available throughout all aspects of the deal—financing, licensing, service and product support. Josh Prentice in the service department made us a priority in shipping, setting up and commissioning this unit with ease. We thank you, Empire Crane Company.”
Paul Lonergan, owner of Empire Crane, echoed the sentiment. “We’re thrilled to make another deal happen with Jim Burke, Jerry Sanders and their crew at Associated Riggers,” he said. “We’ve been lucky enough to do business with them for a number of years now and it’s always a pleasure. Thank you to Associated for not only trusting in the Tadano product, but Empire Crane.”
