Sterett Crane and Rigging

What Sterett Crane and Rigging does

Sterett Crane and Rigging is a third-generation, family-owned crane service and heavy haul operator headquartered in Owensboro, Kentucky, founded in 1949 by William Sterett Sr. as Sterett Construction Company. The company provides operated crane rentals, equipment rental, heavy hauling (via its wholly owned Sterett Heavy Hauling subsidiary), rigging equipment, and integrated turnkey project services to construction, energy, manufacturing/industrial, infrastructure, agriculture/mining, and marine customers across the Eastern United States, primarily Kentucky, Indiana, Missouri, Tennessee, Florida, and project-driven sites in Texas and Illinois.

Its core product is a diversified mobile crane fleet ranging from 15-ton carry deck cranes to the Liebherr LTM 11200-9.1 (1,500-ton capacity, the largest mobile crane in North America), plus crawler cranes up to 1,200 tons, rough terrain, boom trucks, industrial forklifts, and hydraulic gantry systems. Operational technology includes 3D Lift Planning software for visualization, rigging requirements, and ground bearing pressure analysis, complemented by OEM features such as the Demag IC-1 control system and Liebherr's VarioBallast, VarioBase, EcoMode, and EcoDrive systems. The fleet and crew certifications (NCCCO, OSHA, MSHA, TWIC, ARSC) underpin a fully certified delivery model with free jobsite surveys, lift planning, and 24/7 emergency response.

Sterett makes money through project-based, quote-driven pricing on multi-year contracts, monetizing four primary revenue streams: crane service (operated rentals with operators and lift planning), equipment rentals, heavy hauling for oversized/overweight loads, and integrated services that bundle planning, logistics, and project management. Distribution is direct through 10 staffed regional branches and a phone/website quote engine (800-400-1060), supported by content marketing via the company blog and earned media in American Cranes & Transport. The company is consistently ranked among the top crane-owning operators in North America (#7 by fleet, #18 by combined lifting capacity in ACT 2025), serves marquee projects including Churchill Downs Kentucky Derby upgrades and Missouri DOT bridge girders, and remains privately held under Sterett family ownership with no institutional funding or parent company disclosed.

Name

Sterett Crane and Rigging

Legal name

Sterett Crane LLC

Website

https://sterettcrane.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Sterett Crane and Rigging is a family-owned crane service and heavy haul operator founded in 1949, serving construction, energy, industrial, infrastructure, marine, and entertainment customers across the Eastern U.S. with a fleet including the largest mobile crane in North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Crane and Heavy Lifting Services

NAICS

Construction, Transportation, Mining, and Forestry Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing (53241)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Cranes & Heavy Lifting Equipment Rental/Leasing (TLABAFAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Lifting & Hoisting Rental & Leasing (IMAHAJAN), Truck-Mounted & Loader Cranes (IMAHAJAF), Heavy Lift & Marine Recovery (Cranes, Lift Barges, Rigging) (IMAJANAC)

Keywords

• Crane rental services
• Heavy lifting equipment
• Heavy hauling transport
• Rigging equipment rental
• Industrial crane operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Owensboro

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Crane Service: Professional crane service including operated crane rentals, crane operators, rigging services, lift planning, and project management for complex lifting projects.
2. Equipment Rentals: Rental of crane equipment including truck cranes, crawler cranes, carry deck cranes, boom trucks, rough terrain cranes, industrial forklifts, and gantries with various capacity ratings.
3. Heavy Hauling: Transportation of oversized (OS) and overweight (OW) loads using modular perimeter beam trailers, self-propelled trailers, towed trailers, dual lane hydraulic platform trailers, and multi-axle rear steer dollies.
4. Integrated Services: Turnkey project solutions including planning, logistics, and construction management for entire projects requiring crane, rigging, and transportation services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Sterett Crane and Rigging provides operated crane rental services, equipment rentals (truck cranes, crawler cranes, carry deck cranes, boom trucks, rough terrain cranes, industrial forklifts, and gantries), heavy hauling of oversized and overweight loads, rigging equipment, and integrated turnkey project solutions for construction, industrial, infrastructure, energy, and marine clients across the Eastern United States.

Product overview

Sterett Crane & Rigging is a family-owned crane and heavy lifting service company offering a comprehensive portfolio of equipment and professional services. The core offering consists of an extensive crane fleet (truck cranes up to 1500 tons, crawler cranes up to 1000 tons, carry deck cranes, boom trucks, rough terrain cranes, industrial forklifts, and gantry systems) paired with professional services including crane service with operators, equipment rentals, heavy hauling/transport, rigging equipment, and integrated project services. The company differentiates through specialized capabilities like 3D lift planning technology, jobsite surveys, crane planning & management, and 24/7 emergency response. Their flagship equipment includes the Liebherr LTM 11200-9.1 (1,500-ton capacity, the largest mobile crane in North America) and the recently acquired LTM 1650-8.1 (770-ton capacity). Services are delivered through 10 regional branch locations across Kentucky, Indiana, Missouri, Tennessee, and Florida.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Crane Service Professional operated crane rental including experienced NCCCO-certified operators, crane setup, lift planning, rigging services, and project execution for complex lifting projects across construction, industrial, infrastructure, energy, and marine clients.
• Equipment Rentals Short- and long-term rental of cranes and heavy equipment from one of the largest mobile crane fleets in the Midwest, with capacities ranging from 15 tons to 1,500 tons.
• Truck Cranes

Named customers7 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

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ragle Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Strategic partnership for bridge construction projects. Ragle Inc. is a construction contractor trusted by Sterett Crane for complex infrastructure work, specifically bridge girder setting over active railroads in Princeton, Indiana for Highway 41 project.
• HWH TransportcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2025Ongoing partnership for logistics and transport coordination. HWH Transport provides multi-axle dolly systems to haul precast piling pieces to site, working alongside Sterett Crane crews for infrastructure projects such as Jacksonville, FL barge loading operations.
• Henderson County Riverport AuthorityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2025Partnership for river-to-road logistics operations. Partnered to offload three massive pieces of equipment from barge to ground at Henderson County Riverport in Henderson, KY, with loads destined for Franklin, KY.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Maxim Crane Works: Maxim is the largest crane rental operator in North America, operating an extensive coast-to-coast fleet of hydraulic and crawler cranes with similar operated-crane, rigging and heavy haul services. Direct overlap on core fleet mix, service model and target end markets.
• ALL Erection & Crane Rental: ALL is a top-3 North American crane rental company operating a fleet of hydraulic truck cranes, crawler cranes and boom trucks with operated services across industrial and infrastructure markets. Comparable fleet breadth and customer base to Sterett but with substantially larger scale and geographic reach.

Direct peers

• Bigge Crane and Rigging: Bigge is one of the largest privately held crane rental and heavy haul companies in the US, with a comparable fleet (including very high-capacity mobile and crawler cranes), operated rental services and rigging across construction, energy and infrastructure — overlapping directly with Sterett on every product line and customer vertical.
• Barnhart Crane & Rigging: Barnhart offers nationwide crane rental, rigging, heavy haul and integrated project services to industrial and energy customers. Directly comparable services (operated cranes, rigging, heavy transport, turnkey project execution) and overlapping verticals such as power, petrochemical and manufacturing.
• TNT Crane & Rigging: TNT is a national crane rental and rigging company serving the industrial, energy and infrastructure end markets with a large fleet of mobile and crawler cranes. Directly comparable offering of operated crane services, rigging equipment and heavy lift planning to Sterett.
• Bragg Companies: Bragg is a regional crane and rigging services provider serving California and the Western US with operated crane rentals, heavy hauling and rigging across industrial, energy and infrastructure verticals — comparable services and customer verticals but operating in a different geography.
• Lampson International: Lampson specializes in super-heavy lift services with some of the largest mobile and crawler cranes in North America (similar asset class to Sterett's LTM 11200-9.1), focused on industrial plant, power and infrastructure projects. Comparable on mega-lift positioning more than on fleet breadth.

Regional players

• Deep South Crane & Rigging: Deep South Crane & Rigging operates a large fleet of hydraulic and crawler cranes across the Gulf Coast and Southeastern US serving petrochemical, industrial and infrastructure customers — overlapping Sterett's energy and industrial verticals but concentrated in a different region.

Others

• Emirates National Group of Companies: ENG is a heavy lift and transport specialist with a global footprint operating heavy-haul trailers and crawler cranes for energy and infrastructure projects. Comparable on integrated heavy haul/crane service delivery but materially different geographic footprint.
• Liebherr (Heavy Lift Crane OEM): Liebherr is the manufacturer of the LTM 11200-9.1, LTM 1650-8.1 and other high-capacity mobile cranes that make up the core of Sterett's fleet. They are an OEM/equipment partner rather than a direct competitor, but they are the dominant supplier to the segment in which Sterett operates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCXAE_xl6zcCWdvTZeZJUV8g
• Facebookfacebook.com/Sterett-Crane-and-Rigging-846729825433836
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sterett-crane-&-rigging?trk=ppro_cprof

Compliance14 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Sterett Crane and Rigging