Bay Crane acquires Capital City Group

The Bay Crane Companies, Inc. (Bay Crane) has acquired Capital City Group, Inc. (Capital City) in the USA. The transaction results in Bay Crane operating from 15 full service locations, according to a press release about the transaction. Terms were not disclosed.

Headquartered in Columbus, OH, Capital City is a leading crane and rigging company in the Midwestern United States. Brian Gibson, president and shareholder, has been the driving force behind the expansion of the business owned

The Bay Crane Companies has acquired Capital City Crane Group for an undisclosed sum. Photo: Capital City Crane Group

by the Gibson family, according to the press release. 

“We have had an outstanding relationship with Brian and his very talented team for many years,” said Kenneth Bernardo, CEO of Bay Crane. “Capital City has clearly demonstrated a track record of growth and best-in-class service they have sustained throughout the business cycles. Brian is a strong leader with a proven track record and we are honored he has chosen to become part of Bay Crane and continue in his role as president of Capital City.”

Capital City Group was founded in 1993 by Chet Gibson, Brian Gibson’s father.

“We are excited to become part of Bay Crane, one of the most successful crane rental companies in the country,” said Gibson. “Bay Crane is a premier crane service provider with one of the most modern fleets in the industry. Joining with Bay Crane will enable our company to better service our customers with an increased geographic footprint and broader product offering.”

With the acquisition of Capital City and the recent acquisition of Gatwood Crane in Chicago, Bay Crane is making a “substantial commitment to our expansion into the Midwestern United States,” said Bernardo. “Our fleet in this region will include Liebherr models LR 1600, LR 1400, LR 1300, LR 1200, LTR 1220 as well as Tadano GR 1600, GR 1000, GR 150 and GTC 1200. We further enhanced this fleet with several recently added 770 US ton capacity Liebherr LTM 1650-8.1s and will soon be taking delivery of a Liebherr model LTM 1750-9.1. Our unparalleled industry expertise and large diversified fleet ensures that our customers have access to the best state-of-the-art, one-stop-shop for all their crane, rigging, and specialized transportation services.”

This acquisition positions Bay Crane as one of the top 10 largest crane service companies in North America, according to the press release. 

While Bay Crane has not partcipated in the ACT 100 list of North America’s largest crane-owning companies, Capital City ranked number 32 in 2022 with a reported 174 cranes in its fleet and a total capacity of 16, 445 U.S. tons.