In 1952, the State Fair of Texas put up a statue named Big Tex to greet fairgoers, and he has been a symbol of the fair ever since. About 50 years ago, Davis Crane Group took on the annual tradition of setting the 55-foot-tall statue in its rightful place at the entrance to the fairgrounds in Dallas, Texas.
Just as the legend of Big Tex has grown, so has Irving, Texas-based Davis Crane Group, which was founded in 1962 with two small cranes and two employees and now includes more than 165 cranes and a staff of 367 that performs a variety of work across a wide swath of Texas.
“There is nothing we haven’t picked up, from elephants to trees to cars to Big Tex,” said Chief Executive Officer Dennis Davis, son of founder Raymond Davis. “We have closed several acquisitions over the years of several companies with great reputations that have allowed us to expand our footprint. We pride ourselves on our variety of cranes and ability to fit the right one to the right job for our customers.”
“If it can be lifted, we do it,” Chief Operating Officer Wes Dowd added. “From mausoleums in a cemetery to wreaths on a building at Christmastime to hanging steel, setting trees and bridge beams, road barriers — you name it. My favorite part of the business is that no two days are ever the same. Every job’s different.”
The team at Davis Crane Group emphasizes that there is one aspect that stays the same — Davis Crane Group’s commitment to careful planning and seeing each job through, just as Raymond did when he started the business. That has led to the successful completion of thousands of jobs and a long list of repeat clients.
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“We strive to give it our best every day,” Director of Operations Jon Johnson said. “Whether it’s routine or a customer is in a bind, we’re here to help. With the size of our fleet and work ethic of our staff, we’re able to handle just about anything. We’re able to go above and beyond to make sure customers are taken care of as efficiently as possible.”
That is true across all 10 businesses under the Davis Crane Group umbrella. They include Crocker Crane, Davis Crane Service, and Oxford Crane in Irving; Austin Crane Service and Crocker Crane Rentals in Leander, Texas; F.B. McIntire Equipment and Mica Crane in Fort Worth, Texas; E.I.G. Crane Service in Stephenville, Texas; Goins Crane Service in Abilene, Texas; and Scharff Crane Rental in Sherman, Texas.
“We care about going out and safely performing the job and providing the best service we can in a timely fashion,” Dowd said. “Time is money, so we don’t want to get out there and waste time and have the customer think we are dragging things out. We plan, we get there, rig up, do the job, rig down, and move on to the next one.”
Johnson emphasized that National Crane NBT60XL Boom Trucks help Davis Crane Group quickly move from one project to another. The 60-ton models are fully roadable, easy to set up, and have a 151-foot maximum boom length.
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“We’re able to do multiple jobs in a day quickly, efficiently, and safely,” Johnson said. “We put them to the test. We look at their chart, see what they can lift, and have confidence and trust that they will get the job done. They are versatile and have good capacity to handle lifting air conditioning units and steel and make a wide variety of other picks, including helping in the setup of our larger cranes and our luffer.”
“We expect the longevity to be good and to not have to worry about the carrier, which is a big positive,” Dennis added. “We were impressed with the chart, and that really was the thing that got us to give the National trucks a shot, along with Kirby-Smith’s commitment to stand behind them.”
Kirby-Smith Machinery Inc. Crane Division Product Support Representative Chip Leatherwood and Crane Division Vice President Rickey Bailey helped Davis Crane Group with the purchase of multiple NBT60XL boom trucks. They have also assisted with rental units as needed and provide support.
“We look for three things when buying any equipment: availability, cost, and the service behind it,” said Keith McKee, Davis Crane Group Executive Vice President of Business Services. “Kirby-Smith has met all three. The service has been especially excellent. Downtime is a killer, and if we have something go down, they are on it quickly. I have to give kudos to Chip. It was his persistence that got us to try the National trucks, and it’s been a great experience.”
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Davis Crane Group sees a bright future with further growth on the horizon, but its focus extends beyond expansion.
“I think we’re not just looking to expand and get more equipment in different places, but also become better at what we do,” McKee said. “Serving Texas remains our main goal. We’re not looking to move nationwide.”
“The future is strong,” Dennis added. “Sometimes you look for the future by copying and pasting the past. I think if we carry forward by building on what we have done in the past, it will keep the ball rolling. I see us staying strong within our market and expanding to others when the time is right.”
- Location: Irving, Texas
- Established: 1962
- Employees: 367
- Area of expertise: Crane service
- Equipment: Over 165 cranes, including a growing fleet of National Crane NBT60XL Boom Trucks
- 10 businesses under the Davis Crane Group umbrella
- About 50 years of experience placing 55-foot Big Tex at the State Fair of Texas
- 60-ton National Crane NBT60XL boom trucks feature a 151-foot maximum boom length
