For Peter Shelton, cranes have been more than a career – they’ve been a lifelong calling. After starting as a storeman at Franna in 1989, he worked his way up to General Manager, before later holding leadership roles at James Equipment and Tadano.
By 2014, after 15 years in corporate management, Peter was ready to step away. What he didn’t expect was that a family business with his son Todd Shelton would soon become his next chapter.
“All Crane Sales started almost by accident,” Peter said. “I had a couple of cranes for sale, put the word out, and within months we realised there was a real business opportunity sitting in front of us.”
From the back deck of their Brisbane home in January 2015 (celebrating ten years this year), the father-son duo began answering calls, setting up spreadsheets, and selling cranes. What started with a handful of machines quickly grew into something much larger. “We thought we’d sell maybe five or six cranes in the first year. We ended up selling 15 to 20,” Todd said. “That’s when we knew we were onto something.”
What began as a small father-and-son venture quickly grew into something much larger. As demand increased, the Sheltons brought their two business arms under one banner. The dry hire operation, Australian Machinery Hire, and the sales arm, All Crane Sales & Equipment, were merged to form All Cranes. The move made it clear to the industry that one company could now provide both services – crane hire and crane sales – through a single, trusted name.
Both companies were go-to names in their respective fields: one specialised in crane hire, the other in sales and equipment. By combining forces, the newly branded All Cranes delivers the full package – hire, sales, and service – under one roof.
Capabilities and fleet
Today, All Cranes has sold more than 400 second hand cranes in just a decade. Their business model is largely consignment-based, with around 90 per cent of sales handled for clients. Alongside this, they refurbish and resell cranes, and in recent years have expanded to purchasing machines outright for restoration.
The company’s dry hire business has also steadily grown, with a fleet of 25 cranes servicing everyone from start-up operators to major contractors. “We’ve had cranes on hire to some of the biggest crane hire brands in Australia, right down to guys starting out with their very first machine,” Todd said. “Some customers have stayed with us for years, even as they’ve grown their own fleets.”
While dry hire has never been heavily promoted, it remains a strong complement to the sales side of the business. Peter said, “We’ve always relied on repeat customers. They come back to us whether it’s for sales or hire, because they know we’ll look after them.”
Filling a gap in the market
From the outset, the Sheltons saw a gap in how the used crane market was being serviced. “We felt that the used crane market had an opening to make the sales process simpler and improved,” Peter said. “Our aim was to change the way the used crane market worked – be more transparent with pricing as well as delivering prompt and efficient service throughout the entire sales process.
That philosophy has shaped every part of their business. Customers routinely buy cranes from All Cranes sight unseen, relying solely on Peter and Todd’s word. “We’ve had clients tell us, ‘This is better than I expected,’” Todd said. “That only happens because of the trust Dad has built over decades in the industry.”
For the Sheltons, reputation always comes before profit. “Sometimes we walk away from deals,” Peter said. “If something doesn’t stack up, we’d rather tell the customer no than push through a sale that could damage our name. Integrity is everything – you can’t buy it back once it’s gone.”
Built on relationships, not transactions
The success of All Cranes is less about the cranes themselves and more about the people behind them. “We’re probably not the best salesmen in the traditional sense,” Todd said. “But we’re good at putting deals together that work for everyone.”
Peter said, “It’s about the long game. We’d rather move volume steadily than chase a quick sugar hit. This industry is built on relationships and reputation, and that’s how we’ve always operated.”
That approach has earned All Cranes long-term clients, with some hire contracts stretching six years or more. “We’ve been fortunate, but it’s not just luck,” Peter said. “It’s about being transparent, delivering what you promise, and treating customers the way you’d want to be treated yourself.”
With more than 400 cranes sold and a consistently fully utilised hire fleet, All Cranes is firmly established as a trusted name in the Australian crane industry. For Peter and Todd, the focus remains on steady, sustainable growth and continuing to do things differently. “Our business has always been about trust,” Todd said. “At the end of the day, cranes are just machines – but the relationships we’ve built, that’s what keeps people coming back.”