Barnhart Acquires Two New Branches in the Southwest

Barnhart has successfully acquired the assets and operations of two branches of Crane Service Inc., located in El Paso, Texas, and Albuquerque, New Mexico. These assets were procured from ML Holdings Co., a Denver-based entity that owns Crane Service Inc. It is important to note that this acquisition pertains solely to specific branch assets and does not entail the purchase of the Crane Service Inc. company as a whole.

The El Paso branch will complement Barnhart’s existing Houston branch, establishing it as the company's second location in Texas. Meanwhile, the Albuquerque branch will be integrated with Barnhart’s current Albuquerque location, which was acquired last August through the purchase of Mountain States Crane.

The new acquisitions encompass a range of services including crane service, industrial machine moving, transportation, and rigging, along with a workforce of approximately 45 employees.

A Solid Reputation

Chase Reynolds, Barnhart Regional Director, stated, “Since its inception in 1960, Crane Service Inc. has cultivated a robust reputation within the crane, rigging, and transportation sectors by emphasizing safety and consistently surpassing customer expectations. The company is widely acknowledged for its skilled and experienced operators and riggers, as well as its well-maintained and comprehensive fleet of equipment. The addition of these two branches enables us to extend our services further across the Southwest and enhances our existing operations.”

Dave Matz, President of ML Holdings, remarked, “When ML Holdings/Crane Service made the decision to transition our Albuquerque and El Paso crane branches, we knew Barnhart was the ideal choice. With a stellar reputation in the industry, we are confident that our employees will flourish in this new environment. Although we are saddened to see some of our team depart, we are eager to focus on our shift toward larger and more mobile assets dedicated to the energy sector.”

Isaac Holguin, El Paso branch manager, expressed, “As one chapter closes, another begins, offering new opportunities for growth. In El Paso, we are enthusiastic about embarking on this next phase in the crane industry alongside Barnhart Crane & Rigging Co. We remain committed to keeping cranes in motion as we navigate this new journey with Barnhart.”

Paul Raley, Albuquerque branch manager, conveyed, “Our team is genuinely excited to enter this new chapter as part of the Barnhart family! We are brimming with anticipation for the opportunities that lie ahead and the remarkable synergy we expect to create together.”

ML Holdings specializes in acquiring and enhancing both private and family-owned businesses within the construction and infrastructure products and services sectors. The holding company initially acquired Crane Service Inc. in 2007. Crane Service Inc. continues to operate offices in Amarillo and Sweetwater, Texas, as well as in Denver.