What Deshazo does

Deshazo (DESHAZO LLC) is a U.S. manufacturer and integrator of custom overhead cranes and industrial automation systems, headquartered in Bessemer, Alabama and founded in 1972 by Lee DeShazo. The company has been owned by Mitchell Industries, Inc. (Mitchell family) since 1996 and operates approximately 600 employees across Alabama, Texas, Indiana, Georgia, and North Carolina, supported by 370,000 square feet of manufacturing capacity across three fabrication facilities and 35 nationwide service locations.

The product portfolio spans three lines. (1) Custom overhead cranes — single girder (up to 25 tons / 130 ft span), double girder (500+ tons / 200+ ft span), gantry, semi-gantry, and built-up hoists — engineered and fabricated in-house, along with below-the-hook lifting devices and runway systems. (2) The proprietary PHAZE Crane Smart Feature System, a software-defined add-on delivering anti-collision, sway control, load monitoring, slack cable detection, and other intelligent crane features with remote data access. (3) Industrial automation systems covering robotic palletizing, machine tending, 3D bin picking, turnkey conveyor and assembly systems, robotic vision inspection (Fanuc iRVision), AMRs, collaborative robots, ultrasonic welding, and controls integration. The company also operates a sizeable service business — 24/7 on-site repair, preventive maintenance, inspections, crane rebuilds, and modernization/retrofit across any OEM crane.

Deshazo sells exclusively through direct enterprise field sales with regional coverage and inside-sales phone support; pricing is quote-based with multi-year contracts and no public disclosure. Revenue is generated across custom equipment sales, automation projects, service contracts, and parts/rebuild activity, with customer concentration across aerospace, defense, power generation, steel and aluminum, marine, lumber/material handling, and general manufacturing. Notable customers include Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Blue Origin, the Tennessee Valley Authority, Nucor, ArcelorMittal, Novelis (18-crane, $50M+ magnitude program at Bay Minette), O'Neal Steel, Honda, Hanwha, and CSX. The company holds ITAR, NIST 800-171, DFARS, and ISO 9001 certifications enabling defense-sector work.

Name

Deshazo

Legal name

DESHAZO LLC

Website

https://deshazo.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Deshazo is a U.S. manufacturer of custom overhead cranes (up to 500+ tons) and industrial automation systems, serving aerospace, defense, steel, power generation, and other heavy industrial customers through direct enterprise sales plus a 35-location service network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Cranes and Automation Equipment

NAICS

Overhead Traveling Crane, Hoist, and Monorail System Manufacturing (333923)

SIC

Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530)

akta.pro primary industry

Cranes, Hoists & Overhead Material Handling (Industrial) (IMAHABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Crane & Hoist Safety & Monitoring Systems (Limiters, Anti-collision, Load Monitoring) (IMAHAJAL), Crane & Hoist Components (Wire Rope, Chain, Drums, Sheaves, Motors, Controls) (IMAHAJAK), Cranes, Hoists & Rigging Equipment MRO (Mobile/Tower Cranes, Winches) (TLAKAHAE)

Keywords

• Custom overhead cranes
• Industrial automation systems
• Crane service and repair
• Robotic material handling
• Below-the-hook lifting devices

Headquarters

HQ city

Bessemer

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Custom Crane Systems: Design, engineering, fabrication, and installation of custom overhead cranes including single girder (up to 25 tons, 130 feet span), double girder (500+ tons, 200+ feet span), and gantry cranes. Revenue generated from custom equipment sales with installation and commissioning services.
2. Automation Systems: Industrial automation solutions including robotic systems, conveyor systems, palletizing, machine tending, assembly systems, and controls. Turnkey systems from concept to commissioning.
3. Service & Repair: 24/7 on-site repairs, inspections, modernizations, and rebuilds on any overhead crane, hoisting equipment, and automation system. Includes preventive maintenance programs and OSHA compliance services.
4. Parts & Components: OEM parts for all makes and models of overhead cranes and hoisting equipment. Below-the-hook lifting devices, replacement parts, and reverse engineering capabilities for obsolete parts.
5. Crane Modernization & Upgrades: Retrofit and upgrade services for existing crane systems including new end truck assemblies, hoist and trolley upgrades, crane uprates, controls upgrades, and full electrical rewiring.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Deshazo designs, engineers, fabricates, and installs custom overhead crane systems (single girder, double girder, gantry, and built-up hoists) along with industrial automation solutions including robotic palletizing, machine tending, 3D bin picking, conveyor systems, and controls. The company also provides 24/7 crane service, repair, rebuilds, preventive maintenance, modernizations, and OEM parts across 35 nationwide service locations.

Product overview

DESHAZO is a manufacturer of custom overhead cranes and industrial automation systems. The company offers a unified portfolio comprising three core product lines: (1) Crane Systems including Single Girder Cranes, Double Girder Cranes, Gantry Cranes, Built-Up Hoists, Standard Hoists, Below-the-Hook Lifting Devices, and Runway Systems; (2) the proprietary PHAZE crane smart feature system add-on providing anti-collision, sway control, load monitoring and other intelligent crane features; and (3) Automation Systems encompassing material handling (conveyors, palletizing, machine tending, bin picking), assembly systems (robotic assembly, screw gun technology), and process automation (ultrasonic welding, dispensing, material removal, vision inspection, controls systems, AMRs, and collaborative robots). The company also provides comprehensive Service & Repair including rebuilds, preventive maintenance, inspections, and modernizations. The portfolio is vertically integrated with in-house engineering, fabrication, and field services capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PHAZE: Proprietary crane smart feature system that allows remote access to crucial data about crane systems, providing features like anti-shock, anti-collision, sway control, micro speed, anti-snag, exclusion zones, slack cable detection, semi-auto, load monitor, drive monitor, hook centering, and extended speed range.

Products and services

• Single Girder Cranes Custom top-running, under-running, and monobox single girder cranes with lifting capacity up to 25 tons and spans up to 130 feet, CMAA classification A-D, designed for industrial facilities.
• Double Girder Cranes Custom heavy-duty double girder cranes with lifting capacity of 500+ tons and spans of 200+ feet, CMAA classification A-F, engineered for heavy industrial loads and harsh environments.
• Gantry Cranes Rail-mounted gantry cranes designed for heavy-duty performance in environments where overhead runway structures are not practical, including mills, timber yards, hydroelectric plants, and outdoor material-handling sites.
• Below-the-Hook Lifting Devices Custom lifting devices including spreader beams, coil and roll lifters, lifting tongs, magnet systems, vacuum systems, lifting beams, and specialty hooks certified to meet industry standards.
• Built-Up Hoists Fully custom designed hoists manufactured in-house, including gear train, gearbox, shafting, wheels, and sheaves, with hand-assembled gearboxes, trolleys, and hoists built to precise working tolerances.
• Standard Hoists Standard hoists from trusted commercial brands as well as custom hoisting solutions, with domestic and international vendor partnerships for application-specific requirements.
• Runway Systems Complete runway systems providing support, stability, and alignment for crane operation, including design guidance, materials, specifications, columns, and supporting structures.
• Automated Material Handling Systems Design, build, and integration of semi-automated and fully automated systems ranging from simple gravity conveyors to complex product transport, sorting, assembly, and inspection lines.
• Robotic Palletizing Systems Robotic palletizing solutions that increase speed, accuracy, and safety by streamlining stacking, sorting, and shipping of products while reducing manual labor.
• Machine Tending Automation Automation of repetitive loading and unloading of raw materials and finished parts from manufacturing machines like CNCs, presses, and injection molders to enable continuous lights-out operation.
• Turnkey Conveyor Systems Conveyor systems designed, built, and integrated entirely in-house, ranging from independent systems to additions for pre-existing equipment, optimizing flow and reducing downtime.
• Turnkey Robotic Assembly Systems Fully integrated, ready-to-run robotic assembly solutions combining custom engineering, advanced robotics, and seamless installation to automate complex production tasks.
• Robotic Screw Gun Technology Automated screw gun technology with compact full-function driver package, high-reliability commercial components, password protection, and plug-and-play installation for defense and assembly applications.
• Crane Service and Repair On-site inspections, 24/7 repairs, modernizations, and rebuilds on any overhead crane, hoisting equipment, and automation system, performed by highly skilled field technicians.
• Crane Rebuilds Restoration of damaged or obsolete crane parts and components to factory specifications with 'as new' warranty, including equipment refurbishment and reverse engineering of obsolete parts.
• Preventive Maintenance Services Custom preventive maintenance programs providing OSHA compliance, increased equipment life, improved safety, reduced operating costs, and controlled maintenance costs.
• Crane Inspections Condition and historical reporting for critical crane equipment using advanced wireless handheld technology for accurate and timely reporting.
• Crane Modernizations Retrofit services for existing overhead crane systems including structural and mechanical analysis, new end truck assemblies, hoist and trolley upgrades, crane uprates, runway surveys, and electrical controls upgrades.

Quantifiable outcome

• Overhead crane + automation reduced coiled steel unloading time by 3 hours
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature6 records

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves16 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Konecranes: Finland-headquartered global leader in overhead cranes, hoists, and service. Most direct comparable to DESHAZO's custom crane + service business model, with overlapping customers in steel, power generation, and aerospace; DESHAZO's competitive positioning is the U.S.-domestic custom-build and automation-integration alternative to Konecranes' broader portfolio.
• Columbus McKinnon: Public U.S.-headquartered manufacturer of hoists, cranes, rigging, and material handling products with a large service network. Closely comparable to DESHAZO across hoists, crane components, and service; similar U.S. industrial customer base.
• Gorbel: Privately held U.S. manufacturer of overhead cranes, jib cranes, gantries, and ergonomic lifting systems with national service coverage. Highly comparable to DESHAZO in scale, U.S.-centric custom overhead crane manufacturing, and vertical-industry specialization.
• American Crane & Equipment Corporation: U.S. manufacturer of custom overhead cranes, hoists, and material handling equipment serving aerospace, defense, and industrial customers. Direct peer to DESHAZO in custom-build crane manufacturing and engineered solutions for demanding applications.
• Street Crane Company: UK-based global manufacturer of overhead cranes, gantry cranes, and hoists serving heavy industrial markets. Comparable in custom overhead crane design and manufacturing approach; competes with DESHAZO for global multinational accounts and serves similar end-market verticals.
• SPANCO: U.S. manufacturer of jib cranes, gantry cranes, workstation bridge cranes, and hoists. Overlaps with DESHAZO on custom overhead lifting equipment and below-the-hook devices; smaller-scale but comparable U.S.-centric custom-build model.
• Harrington Hoists: U.S. manufacturer of hoists, cranes, and material handling products with national distribution. Comparable to DESHAZO on hoist and crane components manufacturing and aftermarket parts; serves overlapping industrial customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Terex Corporation: Global multi-segment equipment manufacturer with material handling and port crane operations (e.g., Terex Material Handling). Larger and broader portfolio than DESHAZO but overlaps in industrial cranes and material handling equipment for heavy industry.
• Liebherr: Global family-owned manufacturer of heavy equipment including tower cranes, mobile cranes, and material handling systems. Broader scope than DESHAZO but competes for very large industrial crane and hoist installations in steel, aerospace, and energy.

Others

• RBC Bearings (formerly Dodge/Rollway) — Engineered Solutions / Crane components: U.S. industrial component supplier for heavy-duty bearings and crane components used in overhead cranes and hoists. Not a direct competitor but an adjacent supplier/partner in the same end-product value chain.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Deshazo