EQUIPMENT SPOTLIGHT
Service Strategy
For utility and construction operations, service cranes are a valuable part of jobsite operations
By Seth Skydel
Service cranes are a critical component of our utility and construction fleet maintenance operations,” said Jonathan Long, vice president, product lifecycle at Ring Power Utility | Truck | Crane.“ We’ ve been using service cranes for over 60 years to ensure uptime and reliability for our customers. Today, they form the backbone of our mobile service strategy by allowing our technicians to complete repairs safely and efficiently at the jobsite.
“ Our service trucks outfitted with cranes are equipped to resolve the majority of issues in the field,” Long continued.“ These solutions don’ t just save time they also build trust. When we dispatch a technician, our goal is to arrive with the tools, equipment and parts needed. That responsiveness makes us an invaluable partner, especially in storm response scenarios where uptime is mission critical.”
“ Service cranes give utility fleets the flexibility to shift more maintenance and repair work into the field,” said Dan DeAces, national sales manager at Summit Truck Equipment.“ By reducing reliance on centralized shops, fleets can respond faster, cover larger territories and complete more jobs per day. As mobile service operations grow, service cranes support that expansion by increasing job capability, improving technician efficiency and helping fleets do more with the equipment and crews they already have.”
For Clint Weckwerth, product manager for service cranes and crane bodies at PALFINGER North America, having the capability on the truck to pick and place larger items has benefits in time savings and efficiency, as well as in reducing technician fatigue.“ Service cranes are problem solvers,” he said.“ They can handle multiple functions
and be quickly and easily reconfigured, and they operate in all conditions, across tough terrain and usually on a tight schedule.”
“ The value of a service crane to utility fleet maintenance and repair operations is rooted in its ability to drive efficiency and expand operational capabilities,” said John Field, sr. sales manager at Iowa Mold Tooling( IMT).“ To truly facilitate growth in mobile service operations, fleets need equipment like service cranes that prioritize critical performance metrics, including safety, weight, capacity and length.”
Tim Worman, director of product management and inside sales at Stellar noted that the use of a service crane allows technicians to be more efficient when doing field service as it provides a valuable tool for lifting.“ The service crane can be used for many mobile repair applications, from large construction to utility equipment, and everything in between,” he said.“ It
The Summit 829 Hydraulic Crane has 29 feet of maximum horizontal reach and an 8,000-pound maximum lifting capacity.
24 l January-February 2026