Stafford Crane Group Acquires Soima Cranes of Portugal to Round Out Global Crane Operations
Phoenix-based Stafford Crane Group has acquired Portuguese tower crane manufacturer Soima Cranes. With this acquisition, SCG gains control over design and production of its tower crane equipment and will be able to take its customer service in rental operations to the next level.
“The acquisition of Soima allows us to provide better service to our customers in the tower crane rental industry, particularly in terms of competitive pricing and availability of cranes and replacement parts,” said SCG founder Patrick Stafford. “Designing and manufacturing cranes and parts gives us control of the entire customer experience which will save them money directly on pricing and indirectly by avoiding delays.”
Family owned and operated, SCG rents, sells and services tower cranes, mobile cranes and construction hoists. It also offers operator, erection and dismantle, technician, and consulting services on crane projects throughout the United States and worldwide.
According to Soima Cranes founder Manuel Morais, SCG is the preferred partner to carry on the Soima Cranes legacy. “The Staffords are the right fit to take Soima to the next level,” he said. “They have global experience and are highly focused on customer satisfaction and growth within the industry. We are confident they will help in the evolution of the Soima.”
Stafford added, “Soima is a perfect fit for us, as well. Like SCG, they are a family-owned and operated business dedicated to providing high quality and efficiency in the global crane industry.”
Founded in 1977, Soima Cranes has built more than 6,600 tower cranes during its 45-year history on six continents across the globe.
Soima will continue to offer a full range of cranes to the global market. Currently, SCG is working with Soima engineers on a new tower crane model specifically for the American market. Upon completion, the Soima 8041 will be a 32-ton flat top crane with an 80-meter jib. It is expected to debut in the U.S. in early 2022.
“The new Soima 8041 is a tower crane designed by rental industry professionals,” said Stafford. “It will be offered at a highly competitive price point compared to other cranes in its class. Between its value and SCG’s post-purchase customer service, including our team of experienced technicians and stocked parts, the 8041 will gain significant market share in the U.S.”
About the Author
Michael Roth
Editor
Michael Roth has covered the equipment rental industry full time for RER since 1989 and has served as the magazine’s editor in chief since 1994. He has nearly 30 years experience as a professional journalist. Roth has visited hundreds of rental centers and industry manufacturers, written hundreds of feature stories for RER and thousands of news stories for the magazine and its electronic newsletter RER Reports. Roth has interviewed leading executives for most of the industry’s largest rental companies and manufacturers as well as hundreds of smaller independent companies. He has visited with and reported on rental companies and manufacturers in Europe, Central America and Asia as well as Mexico, Canada and the United States. Roth was co-founder of RER Reports, the industry’s first weekly newsletter, which began as a fax newsletter in 1996, and later became an online newsletter. Roth has spoken at conventions sponsored by the American Rental Association, Associated Equipment Distributors, California Rental Association and other industry events and has spoken before industry groups in several countries. He lives and works in Los Angeles when he’s not traveling to cover industry events.