The End of an Era at KHL Group
- cranehub
- Jun 23
- 3 min read
In a surprising turn for the crane and transport publishing world, Trevor Pease—longtime Chief Operating Officer of KHL Group and founding voice of American Cranes & Transport—is no longer with the company. While no formal announcement has been made publicly, sources close to the industry confirm that Pease has stepped away from his KHL duties. His departure marks the end of an era for print media leaving an opening on crane‑industry journalism and a new age of digital journalism.

A Pillar of Crane Media
Pease’s connection with KHL Group goes back three decades. He joined in 1992, swiftly rising through the ranks to occupy sales leadership roles, and in 2005 he launched American Cranes & Transport—the flagship North American trade journal covering heavy lifting, transport, and rigging operations. In January 2021, he ascended to COO of KHL’s global operations .
Under his stewardship, ACT became not just a quarterly magazine but a critical voice across print media, industry events, and global advocacy platforms. Its June 2025 issue exemplifies this impact, with a special “Perspective” section celebrating the 20th anniversary of ACT100. That piece reflects back on two decades of collaboration between KHL and the SC&RA, highlighting Pease’s long‑term support for North American crane owners and operators. There’s no denying Pease’s imprint: he helped build a media brand that informs, unites, and energizes an entire industry, but the question remains will they be able to pivot?
What His Exit Signifies
The departure of a figure like Pease carries significance beyond individual career shifts:
Modernization Push Pease spearheaded a print-centric media group. His exit raises questions: who will carry KHL into the future—and will KHL start investing in a multidisciplinary model with an emphasis on social media?
Editorial Realignment Under Pease, ACT balanced technical depth with strategic insight. The June 2025 edition’s deep dive into ACT100, SC&RA collaborations, and rigging tech roundups speaks to that legacy. But new leadership might pivot—perhaps refocusing on digital analysis, data-driven services, or global expansions that dilute the North American technical identity that Pease so carefully cultivated.
Commercial vs. Community Tension KHL’s pivot toward marketing services and content studios—championed by Pease in launching the new company website—hints at tensions between journalistic integrity and commercial strategy . As head of multi-channel marketing, Pease walked that line carefully. Without him, will that careful balance survive, or will ACT tilt more toward sponsorship‑driven content?
Winds of Change in Crane‑Industry Trade Media
Beyond KHL’s internal shifts, Pease’s exit underscores broader trends reshaping trade media in equipment sectors:
Niche Convergence In recent years, American Cranes & Transport maintained a strong print journal. The upcoming leadership must adapt fast to avoid fragmentation and maintain relevancy.
Data Over Opinion Industry leaders are increasingly hungry for market data—capacity indices, auction activity, fleet utilization. Future editorial direction will likely lean less into narrative.
Global vs. Local Tensions With roots in North America but wings worldwide, ACT now sits at an inflection point: how to stay relevant yet globally impactful. The new strategy will need to negotiate these competing priorities.
Audience Engagement Models Legacy trade magazines are racing to create communities via virtual events, podcasts, and newsletters. Now, KHL’s next step may provide more interactive content and embrace more social media—but the question remains: will industry professionals continue to embrace print media with no digital multimedia?
Looking Ahead
What does KHL’s leadership vacuum mean for crane‑industry media?
Continuity vs. Disruption Will an internal successor sustain Pease’s vision—balancing commercial prowess, technical authority, and community spirit? Or will a disruptor from outside reshape the brand’s identity in unexpected ways?
Strategic Reinvestment KHL may double down on high‑margin custom content services over traditional editorial—or create a digital transformation. That could further erode ACT’s editorial independence unless carefully managed.
Opportunity for New Voices In any leadership shift, space opens for alt‑media. Independent all digital publications and social media content may rise to fill gaps in crane‑industry coverage—particularly if ACT pivots toward marketing at the expense of field‑level insights.
An Inflection Point
Trevor Pease’s exit from KHL Group is much more than a personnel change—it marks a pivotal moment for crane‑industry trade media. He leaves behind a legacy of innovation: and print heritage with little digital agility.
Now, a changing leadership team must ask hard questions: How do we honor that legacy while evolving for the modern media landscape? The true measure of Pease’s impact will be whether ACT continues to echo with the same authority and resonance—or becomes something else entirely. What’s clear is that crane‑industry media stands at a crossroads— and now challenged to define its future.
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