Freo

What Freo does

Freo Group Pty Ltd is Australia's largest crane hire company, founded in 1974 in Kwinana, Western Australia, and operating as a subsidiary of Marmon Crane Services Inc (a Berkshire Hathaway company) since 2011. The company provides mobile and crawler crane hire, heavy lifting, project logistics and supply chain management, in-house engineering (custom lift plans), and renewable-energy crane services to blue-chip customers across the mining, civil construction, oil and gas, and renewable energy sectors. Headcount is reported at 1,000+ experienced operators, riggers, and support staff.

The operating platform centres on a fleet of 480+ mobile and crawler cranes with lifting capacities from 3T to 800T (All Terrain, Tracked Crawler, Rough Terrain, Pick and Carry, City Class, Telescopic Crawler classes), supported by an in-house engineering library of 8,000+ lift studies for 450+ clients, a refurbishment and maintenance facility in Welshpool, WA, and a custom Lift Library knowledge base. Services are delivered as wet hire (crane with operator) or dry hire (crane without operator), 24/7, and the company is certified to ISO 9001 (since 1996), ISO 45001 (since 2011), and ISO 14001 (since 2021). Operational technology includes IVMS, Collision Avoidance, Distracted Driver, and Donesafe systems, and the firm operates the FAST Training Program and a Rigger-to-Operator Career Pathway to address industry-wide skilled-labour shortages.

Freo generates revenue through professional services and managed services contracts (project logistics) priced via quote-based engagement through a 1300 CRANES phone line, an online quote portal, and direct depot relationships. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales, with named major customers including BHP (10-year WAIO extension and 5-year BMA Queensland contract signed 2023), Dyno Nobel, Talison Lithium, and METRONET civil infrastructure. Distribution is via 21 depots across Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and the Northern Territory, including acquired brands UCH Cranes (2015) and WGC Cranes (2018). Business News WA ranked the group 20th in Trucking & Logistics with 300 staff in WA, and the group reports a 2026 forecast described as strong, driven by contract renewals, new wins, and continued renewables growth.

Name

Freo

Legal name

Freo Group Pty Ltd

Website

https://freogroup.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Freo Group is Australia's largest crane hire and heavy lifting company, operating 480+ mobile and crawler cranes (3T-800T) through 21 depots to deliver wet/dry hire, heavy lifting, project logistics, and engineering services to mining, construction, and renewable energy customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Crane Hire Services

NAICS

Industrial Truck, Tractor, Trailer, and Stacker Machinery Manufacturing (333924)

SIC

Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530), Construction Machinery & Equip (3531)

akta.pro primary industry

Mobile & Crawler Cranes (IMAHAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wind Balance-of-Plant EPC (Crane Pads, Turbine Foundations, Internal Roads) (EUAEADAI), Overhead (Bridge) Cranes (IMAHAJAC)

Keywords

• Crane hire services
• Heavy lifting solutions
• Project logistics
• Mobile crane fleet
• Renewable energy lifting

Headquarters

HQ city

Perth

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices23 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Crane Hire Services: Wet hire (crane hire with operator) and dry hire (crane hire without operator) services available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Fleet of 480+ mobile and crawler cranes ranging from 3T to 800T capacity.
2. Heavy Lifting Services: Specialised lifting solutions for complex projects across Australia, delivered by experienced heavy lift team.
3. Project Logistics & Supply Chain Management: Extensive range of project logistics and supply chain management services including flexible workforce and adaptable operational model for innovative efficiencies and cost-avoidance strategies.
4. Renewable Energy Services: Specialised crane services for wind farm construction and installation, maintenance services for renewable energy sector including heavy haulage, oversize transport, and equipment maintenance.
5. Engineering Services: In-house engineering department providing custom lift plans and technical expertise for project delivery with safe execution and cost savings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Freo Group provides mobile and crawler crane hire (wet and dry hire), specialised heavy lifting solutions, project logistics and supply chain management, in-house engineering for custom lift plans, and renewables-focused lifting services. The company operates a fleet of more than 480 cranes ranging from 3T to 800T, delivered through 21 depots across Australia, with services available 24/7 to mining, construction, and energy clients.

Product overview

Freo Group is Australia’s largest crane hire and logistics company offering a unified service platform across mobile crane hire, heavy lifting, project logistics and supply chain management, in-house engineering, and renewables services. The company operates a fleet of over 480 mobile and crawler cranes (3T to 800T capacity) through 21 strategically positioned depots nationwide. Services are available as Wet Hire (with operator) or Dry Hire (without operator). The integrated offering is strengthened by an in-house engineering department with over 8,000 lift studies for 450+ clients. The company also includes acquired brands UCH Cranes (2015) and WGC Cranes (2018) under its portfolio. All services operate 24/7 with a focus on safety, quality, and reliability for mining, construction, and renewable energy sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Crane Hire Mobile and crawler crane hire services with lifting capacities from 3T to 800T, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Offered as wet hire (with operator) or dry hire (without operator) to mining, construction, and energy customers across Australia.
• Heavy Lifting Specialised lifting solutions delivered by an experienced heavy lift team for complex projects across Australia, including bridge installations, stadium roofs, and other infrastructure lifts.
• Project Logistics & Supply Chain Management Comprehensive project logistics and supply chain management services combining supply chain experience, a flexible workforce, and an adaptable operational model to deliver cost-avoidance strategies and quality services to enterprise clients.
• Engineering Services In-house engineering department generating custom lift plans and providing technical expertise, drawing on a library of more than 8,000 lift studies across 450+ clients to ensure safe execution, productivity gains, and cost savings.
• Renewables Services Specialised crane services for wind farm construction and installation, including heavy haulage, oversize transport, and equipment maintenance, supporting Australia's growing renewable energy sector.
• WGC Cranes Crane hire services delivered under the WGC Cranes brand from locations in Sydney (Smeaton Grange and Berkeley) and Melbourne (Norlane), operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Freo Group.

Quantifiable outcome

• Australia's largest crane hire company
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BHPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term partnership with BHP including 10-year contract extension for Western Australian Iron Ore Operations (WAIO) and new 5-year services contract for BMA Queensland Coal Operations. Port Hedland team collaborates with BHP on NAIDOC week activities at Nelson Point.
• Crane Industry Council of Australia (CICA)minorOthersFreo Group is a member of the Crane Industry Council of Australia, an industry body representing crane hire and lifting services companies.
• Supply NationminorOthersFreo Group is a member of Supply Nation, connecting with Indigenous businesses and supporting indigenous employment and supply chain diversity.
• MATES WAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFreo Group is a proud Gold Sponsor and State Industry Partner of MATES WA Annual Lunch 2025, supporting suicide prevention initiatives in the industry.
• DNVminorOthersDNV is the certification body for Freo Group's ISO certifications including ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Boom Logistics: Australia-based crane hire and logistics provider with mobile and crawler cranes serving mining, construction, and utilities. Closely comparable in fleet composition and customer segments, though smaller in scale than Freo.
• Sarens: Global crane rental and heavy lifting specialist operating the world's largest crawler crane fleet for industrial, energy, and infrastructure projects. Comparable in high-capacity crawler crane operations and complex engineered lifts.
• Barnhart Crane & Rigging: US-based heavy lift, crane rental, and rigging services provider focused on industrial and energy customers. Comparable engineered lift planning and project logistics offering for complex industrial customers.
• Maxim Crane Works: One of North America's largest crane rental operators with a fleet of 2,500+ cranes including crawlers, all-terrain, and rough terrain units. Closely comparable wet/dry hire business model and customer base in heavy industrial projects.
• Coates Hire: Australia's largest general equipment hire company with a substantial crane fleet (including All Terrain and crawler cranes) serving mining, construction, and infrastructure customers nationwide. Most direct domestic competitor to Freo with overlapping wet/dry hire offerings.
• ALL Erection & Crane Rental: Major North American crane rental company operating a fleet of 1,500+ cranes from light to heavy lift capacity. Comparable depot-network distribution model, fleet breadth, and industrial customer mix.
• Mammoet: Dutch-headquartered global heavy lifting and transport specialist with large crawler crane fleet serving oil & gas, mining, and civil infrastructure. Comparable heavy lift proposition and engineered lift methodology for complex projects.

Regional players

• Marais Lifting & Rigging Contractors: Australian crane hire and rigging contractor with operations across Australia. Comparable mobile crane hire services for industrial and infrastructure clients, though smaller-scale than Freo.
• CICA (Crane Industry Council of Australia) member peers e.g., McMahon Group: Western Australia-based crane hire and heavy haulage operator serving mining and resources in the Pilbara and Goldfields. Regional peer with focused Western Australia mining overlap to Freo.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights9 records

Customer concentration

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Freo