Greg Buchanan, the founder of Buchanan Mobile Cranes, has a boiler-making background and the crane side of the business evolved out of the need to install or erect the steelwork that he fabricated. While the crane work is now a significant business in its own right, steel fabrication and engineering complement the crane business and there are many niche projects that require both areas of expertise.
Buchanan Crane Hire started as Buchanan Welding, with a highly skilled team of boilermaker/welders and fitter and turners. It had its beginnings in a factory in Mornington primarily fabricating steel for small factories and select home builders. The business initially purchased a second hand 9-tonne Coles crane, then a 13-17T Coles truck crane and then progressed to a 40T capacity P&H truck crane. After that, the business added a 12T capacity Franna. Steel fabrication, installation and crane hire were very complementary, and the multi-skilled team grew quickly. They enjoyed the crane work, maintaining the crane fleet and taking on more general crane hire work across the Mornington Peninsula.
Greg’s son James Buchanan developed an early interest in cranes, from around the age of eight as he recalls. With the business and family home co-located on acreage at Moorooduc, it was easy for James to help out after school and on weekends. It was a great learning environment: nothing was forced but neither was anything sugar-coated. As James says: “Every day was a school day.”
James’ learning covered both sides of the business and, when he left school, he took on an apprenticeship to become a fitter and turner with Jack Thompson Engineering in Hastings, Victoria. After spending four years in the mining industry in WA as a FIFO worker, James decided that it was time to return home and come back to the family business. Greg and Melanie happily embraced this decision.
James takes up the story.
“As the has business grown, so has the number of team members and we are proud that many of the team have been with us for over 20 years. They have adapted as changes and challenges have emerged and upskilled and grown with the business,” he says.
“As demand for our skilled services has increased, we have extended the fleet which now includes crawler cranes, crane trucks and larger capacity Franna pick and carry cranes and our most recent addition, our new Grove GMK 3060L 2023 model.
“The progression and continued renewal of our crane fleet has been driven by the diverse requirements of our clients,” says James.
James goes on to examine the evolution of the Buchanan Mobile Crane Hire fleet.
“We have predominately built our business on pick and carry cranes and small slewing cranes,” he says.
“With the Peninsula growing rapidly and with work sites getting smaller and harder to access I could see there was going to be a growing demand for this type of crane, and we would need to pitch our services at this market. I realised we needed a crane that would set up in a 6 metre by 6.5 metre square.
“In 2019 the business purchased an older Kato 22H so we could utilise the versatility of an all-terrain crane and provide our clients with better outcomes on site and get a feel for the prospective market share of the larger capacity cranes,” James says.
“Today, our 20 tonne Franna and 25 tonne Franna are the bread and butter of our business. They are heavily utilised because they are suited to so many applications.”
“The Kato proved the point that a greater capacity crane with a small footprint was needed in the marketplace, and this led to the purchase of the Grove GMK 3060L this year. The Grove complements the cranes already in the fleet and we can now use the Frannas to set up the larger jobs that require the Grove,” he adds.
James says the new purchase is a key part of meeting client needs within Buchanan’s own fleet, rather than relying on other crane companies to supply a larger capacity crane.
“We now mitigate the frustration of involving another business that doesn’t have the same level of attention to our clients as we have,” he says.
“We now run a small crane truck and a Maeda 355C. We have Frannas, an AT 20 and MAC 25SL and of course our star performer the Grove GMK 3060L. Our fleet is consistent with our position in the market, and that’s being diverse and capable. This is where our passion lies, we love a challenge and we have lift solutions for every problem.”
Buchanan’s is also a proactive member of the Crane Industry Council of Australia (CICA) – the accredited body representing the industry, and which provides the CraneSafe certification process which all its cranes undergo on an annual basis, James says.
“We then provide our clients with this accreditation which gives them the confidence that Buchanan Mobile Crane Hire complies with the National Standards of safety in our industry,” he says.
“CICA also is our first point of contact for advice and the annual conferences and workshops CICA provides gives us the opportunity to stay abreast of new technologies, information and network opportunities in our industry.”
Buchanan Mobile Crane Hire philosophy
The family business has thrived despite having to navigate some very uncertain economic times. This has been due largely to the family’s love and commitment to the industry and the dedication and expertise of the team.
“Our operators, our operational crew and backroom staff have a strong commitment to each other, and they are focused on the success of the company,” James says.
“Our business philosophy is one of commitment to the highest levels of service in the industry and this commitment is evident in the feedback we receive from our clients.
“We strive to meet the needs and requirements of all our clients, and we are focused on achieving excellence in everything we do. This benefits our clients, our business and the community.”
James adds that Buchanan’s mobile crane operators regularly provide a service that goes above and beyond client expectations.
“Our current operators come from a very extensive and skilled mechanical background with a wide knowledge base,” he says.
“Mitch ‘The Crane Doctor’ has years of experience in the crane industry and is passionate about cranes. We also have eager young operators and riggers keen to have the opportunity to grow their knowledge base through the guidance of our experienced team.”
James adds that the company’s larger client base means Buchanan’s Mobile Crane Hire often finds itself conducting specialised and diverse lifts requiring a high level of problem solving and lateral thinking.
“Our clients have high expectations, and our team approaches every job with the same level of enthusiasm and care providing the extra 1 percenters,” James says.
“This approach has given us our point of difference in the crane hire market, which has led to many of our clients remaining loyal to our Buchanan Mobile Crane Hire for the 30 plus years we have been in business.
“Many clients have become personal friends and we are proud to have such a long association with many of them.”
Buchanan’s also works to serve the Mornington Peninsula community, actively supporting local organisations, sporting clubs and local facilities, he says.
“Our commitment to serving our community has led to the company being held in high regard and our expertise and business ethics are readily acknowledged. We value our relationship with the local community greatly,” James says.
That said, James adds that establishing and maintaining client confidence in company processes and services is crucial.
“From the initial phone call clients know they are dealing with a considered and professional business,” James says.
“Our processes are focused on the safety and care when our operational staff are on site, and we are committed to providing the latest model machinery and technologies. Through the dedication of our team members, we have built a reputation for providing a reliable and high-quality service.
“Our team is crucial to the success of the business, and we listen to their feedback relating to recent lifts and projects,” James adds.
“We then initiate staff participation in safety and quality improvement processes which continually drive improvements throughout the business. Transparent communication with our clients helps generate mutual respect and integrity with all our actions contributes to a healthy and happy workplace for all.”
READ MORE: CICA Member Profile: Paul Heeks.