Imperial Crane Services Inc. began with a single crane in 1969 — owned and operated by the late John Bohne. Now, after 45 years of exceeding client expectations, Imperial Crane Services is a provider of 24-hour service, in-house and field estimators, a centrally dispatched fleet, permit expediting and the latest lift planning technology.
There is not a job too small or too large for Imperial Crane Services. Regardless of the scope and scale of the project, the company is committed to accommodating clients’ every need and allowing projects to be completed safely, efficiently and economically. The Imperial Crane Services team provides prompt crane sizing, quotes and permit expediting as well as cost-cutting suggestions. Its field estimators make jobsite visits, prepare sight diagrams, and meet with clients’ project design teams and structural engineers.
Imperial Crane Services has extensive experience in refinery turnarounds and maintenance work, and its skilled staff consistently manages multiple, large-scale projects offering more than 250 pieces of equipment, operator training, project management, cost estimation and lift coordination. As a result, Imperial Crane Services has grown its rental and sales divisions significantly in the past 10 years to create a worldwide organization. Clients know by choosing Imperial Crane Services, they will have a first-class experience.
Last year, the company decided to expand its offering to Texas, a state with a very aggressive market and strong petrochemical industry.
“Imperial Crane Services has had a strong presence in the petrochemical area in the Midwest region for a long time so we saw this as a natural progression for the company,” said Greg McCauley, Imperial Crane Services’ general manager — Houston.
Imperial Crane Services’ main Texas office is in La Porte near Highway 146 and the bulk of its projected work. The second yard is in Houston and is used primarily to store the company’s larger crawler cranes as well as to stage larger all terrain cranes for use in the Texas City area.
“We decided rather than ship cranes back to Illinois, let’s look at the possibility of expanding to a permanent base in Texas,” McCauley said. “Because we are also a dealer for Tadano cranes in the Midwest region, we are continually bringing machines into the Port of Galveston then shipping them to Chicago or directly to jobsites throughout the United States. Having a facility and presence in Houston made the most sense so we could service those machines as well.”
At Imperial Crane Services, safety takes precedence over all. Therefore, safety is of utmost importance at the company’s Houston branch. The importance of safety to Imperial Crane Services is shown in its record — six years without a lost-time accident and an EMR
of .56.
“Our EMR is almost unheard of in this type of industry, especially considering the amount of man-hours we work yearly,” McCauley said. “Everyone at Imperial Crane Services is very proud of our EMR, which has allowed us to gain entrance into the plants and companies a lot faster than if we had a higher EMR. They trust us to get the job done because of our record.”
McCauley said the company’s goal was to actively grow its business in the Houston area and along the Texas coast through the Houston branch, and Imperial Crane Services has accomplished that goal.
“The Houston branch has met and exceeded initial expectations,” he said. “We have grown our brand in the Gulf Coast region, completed master service agreements with several plants in the region and more than doubled our work force.
“A challenge we faced after expanding into Houston was gaining acceptance with the contractors and plants. Showing them our ability and professionalism was the key to our success and will continue to be the key to our success.
“The branch is a very productive operation and a great representation of what Imperial Crane Services has to offer. Since its inception, we have brought on several key personnel. We are on track to reach our second-year goals, which include securing contracts, revenue growth, etc.”
McCauley is supported by President and CEO B.J. Bohne, Vice President and COO Bill Tierney, Director of Sales and Rentals Worldwide Ron Selby Jr., Regional Sales Manager Brett Beverly and Senior Project Manager James Langley Jr.
Bringing hope to the hopeless
With unmatched tenacity, John Bohne became one of the most powerful businessmen in Chicago after founding Imperial Crane Services, ensuring it became one of the largest crane companies in the world.
From feeding a helpless family and paying off a crane operator’s debt to hiring attorneys to defend the defenseless and re-roofing a small local church, Bohne had a big heart. When his son, B.J. Bohne, took over the company, he wanted to carry on his father’s legacy of generosity. So, every year, Imperial Crane Services would send underprivileged children to summer camp, donate to churches and help raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for medical research.
B.J. Bohne then took things to the next level by launching the Bohne Foundation, a charity committed to bringing hope to the hopeless around the world. Efforts include donating $14,000 to the Peace League Anti-Violence Program to combat gun violence in Chicago and supporting the “Walk with Andrew” benefit for a young man who suffered a spinal injury in a tragic accident.
In addition, the Bohne Foundation has shipped more than 300 pounds of books and critical supplies to Grace Community School in Tyler, Texas, and was a sponsor of the International Conference of Young People in Alcoholics Anonymous, an annual celebration of sobriety among young people.
“We are actively involved in charity work from as far away as Sub-Saharan Africa to local communities in the United States,” B.J. Bohne said. “Whether it’s drilling for a water well, funding cancer research, helping addicts work through recovery, assisting troubled kids or helping curb gun violence, we are determined to make a difference.”
A reputation for high-quality equipment, work
In December, Wanzek Construction Inc. started two wind farm projects in Texas. The company, which has been a wind contractor for roughly 10 years, is responsible for installing and erecting turbine foundations as well as installing substation collection systems on site. Wanzek Construction is renting equipment from Imperial Crane Services as needed for both wind projects. One of the projects is scheduled to wrap up this fall while the other is scheduled to be complete in early 2015. Each project currently has 100-250 workers on site.
“I’ve been aware of Imperial Crane Services for the past couple of years from peers in the industry,” said Bryce Peterson, director of equipment operations at Wanzek Construction. “Imperial Crane Services has a reputation for having a lot of high-quality equipment so we chose the company for that reason.
“The wind projects are not the first time we’ve utilized Imperial Crane Services’ cranes. We’ve worked with them in the past and will continue to work with them in the future. They have one of the largest rough terrain fleets around and they’ve been a great asset to Wanzek Construction on our projects by working in a safe manner. Imperial Crane Services is very efficient and reduces downtime.”
Imperial Crane Services is also currently providing cranes and operators for The Weitz Co. at the largest fertilizer plant in Iowa. The cranes range from 35 tons to 300 tons, and are used for civil, structural steel, piping and equipment setting work. There are approximately 1,000 workers on site.
Billy Sellers, project superintendent at The Weitz Co., was introduced to Imperial Crane Services when one of the company’s salesmen visited the site to offer its services.
“The Weitz Co. chose Imperial Crane Services because of its safety record and customer referrals,” Sellers said. “The Imperial Crane Services team is great and we’ve had a very positive experience working with the company. We plan to use Imperial Crane Services in the future for those reasons.”
Safety above all
Imperial Crane Services, which has a very large name in the Midwest and has recently been doing more long-term projects nationally, has locations in Bridgeview, Ill.; Griffith, Ind.; St. Louis; and Houston, La Porte and Port Lavaca, Texas. While steadily adding locations throughout the United States, Imperial Crane Services has adapted and evolved from its original vision and continues to expand on its innovation and growth.
- Imperial Crane Services’ fleet includes:
- Hydraulic truck cranes — 35 tons to 600 tons.
- Boom trucks — 10 tons to 50 tons — with boom reach of more than 200 feet.
- Carry deck cranes — 8.5 tons to 22 tons.
- Crawler cranes of up to 352 tons.
- Rough terrain cranes — 15 tons to 160 tons.
- Conventional truck cranes of up to 300 tons.
- Material handlers.
The company’s core value of safety and service has trickled down to all of Imperial Crane Services’ employees. Its frequently decreasing EMR is a direct result of the company’s commitment to safety as well as its future.
Although Imperial Crane Services has doubled its man-hours and expanded greatly as an organization in recent years, its safety record continues to improve. Imperial Crane Services has been the recipient of numerous safety awards from accredited organizations such as the American Subcontractors Association, Three Rivers Manufacturers’ Association and Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association.
Imperial Crane Services’ safety philosophy integrates both in-plant and out-of-plant training. Its entire team is dedicated to the company’s “talk safety, live safety” culture, which encourages all supervisors and employees to apply prevention and safety to every aspect of their daily tasks.
The company proactively creates and reviews lift plans, performs daily sight inspections and yearly third-party inspections, and adheres to the strictest OSHA and ANSI regulations while maintaining a safe environment for its customers and work force.
Imperial Crane Services is fully aligned with the Three Rivers Manufacturers’ Association and serves as managing partner of CITGO Safety Alliance. The company keeps employees up to date on training and all of the relevant certifications, ensuring Imperial Crane Services provides its customers with the most efficient and safe equipment possible.
“Our commitment to excellence is the most integral component in our daily operations,” said B.J. Bohne. “This means we are dedicated to the highest standards in safety, service and quality. From the receptionist to the foreman, that commitment shows through our remarkable customer service, our state-of-the-art technology, and the safest equipment and procedures anywhere in the world. Our greatest resource is our people and their dedication is what has made Imperial Crane Services a trailblazer in this industry.”
With an EMR of .56, international projects currently underway and additional projects on the horizon, Imperial Crane Services is constantly extending its reach while operating as one of the safest crane companies in the world.
For more information, visit www.imperialcrane.com or call (888) HOIST-IT [464-7848].
