Allcrane Sales and Service Ltd has been selling and servicing new and used cranes in New Zealand for over 30 years. The business has grown significantly in this time and continues to service customers with specific products, while representing a number of premium brands.
Industry stalwart, crane expert and ‘Allcrane Sales and Services’ Managing Director, Mike Morris explains more.
“We have chosen our products with care so we can bring to New Zealand, and other Pacific markets, a range of quality equipment which is supported with highest standards of customer support and service. Our brands include Tadano, Fassi, Jekko, Marrel, A.T.I.B, Scanreco/Fabercom, Cormach, Euromec and Bergero -Tarping Solutions. These are renowned brands and strong products which AllCrane is proud to supply and support,” Mike says.
Mike has been around cranes for over 55 years. He explains how his interest has taken him around the world several times.
“I started in cranes around 1966, when I first started work as an apprentice with the intent of going to sea as a marine engineer but was distracted by a NZ dental nurse who also had an interest in cranes,” he says.
“The next move was in 1971, where I found myself installing the first Tadano in New Zealand, a TS-130 crane on a second hand 8×4 cab chassis in Auckland.
“Three days after our marriage in 1973 my wife and co-director set off around the world on a four year working honeymoon and gained experience with companies representing international equipment manufacturers, including tower cranes, construction equipment and drilling equipment suppliers.
“After returning to New Zealand in 1978, and I was employed as transport equipment manager designing and commissioning heavy automotive trucks and trailers and later joined with Hydraulic Machinery as special projects manager, while also promoting Tadano cranes, Demag excavators and all terrain cranes, and a range of other specialist products including the introduction of 6×6 ADT Moxy dump trucks.
“I worked with these products throughout the ‘80s until 1990 when Jude & I incorporated Gamma Corporation Ltd.
“Gamma operated and was focused on large scale recycling and I had a desire to be working in New Zealand rather than leave my family for weeks at a time working and traveling overseas on business,” Mike says.
“In 1995 Gamma financially supported the incorporation of Allcrane Sales and Services Ltd and I was a silent partner but assisted with resolving technical issues that arose with cranes that we had sold and also provided technical support and repairs for the Tadano product which had not been well supported since the demise of Hydraulic Machinery NZ Ltd.
“Allcrane started out with the Cormach knuckle boom truck loader brand and later A.T.I.B Hook-lifts, and we were also supplying all manner of spare parts and second-hand cranes into the New Zealand market.
“In 2007 Jude and I became the sole proprietors of AllCrane Sales and Services following an acrimonious split with the other two shareholders.
“We commenced negotiations with Tadano who were keen for us as distributors and product support provider in New Zealand for their full range products including the GT truck-mounted, all-terrains, and the cargo crane range, later the Tadano EWP and Hydraulic telescopic crawler cranes were introduced.”
When Tadano purchased Demag, Allcrane added the Demag product to our range of products and Mike says he is delighted to be partnering with Tadano under the “Stronger Together” banner.
“Allcrane has a long list of loyal customers, added to daily who enjoy the long association I and our young, dedicated, loyal and passionate staff have with the brand.”
“We still represent Cormach, but in 2017 we were offered the Fassi brand out of Europe which we welcomed with open arms, and with which we have been very successful, particularly in the 30-80 Tonne/Metre truck loader size cranes.
“We also represent other Fassi Group companies, including Marrel, the original designer & manufacturer of hook lifts and is the world leader today.
“Jekko is also a Fassi Group-associated company which makes and markets a range of mini-crawler cranes, glass handling equipment as well as a range of attachments for all manner of efficient and safe materials handling, has extended the Allcrane offering” he says.
Mike explains more about the company’s commitment to after sales service and support.
“The company name is our mission statement, AllCrane Sales and Services.
“A common statement related to a new customer is ‘You have not just bought a piece of equipment, you have invested in the Allcrane team for life’
“We are located in Auckland, and look after the whole country from here with service agents – many of who we have worked with for more than 40 years.
We do hold capital equipment stock, but for the more bespoke crane specific product we are able to source the crane, arrange logistics and have it ‘complete, complied and road registered with permits and ready for work in the shortest possible timeframe,” Mike says.
He goes on to discuss the acceptance of the Tadano in what is a very competitive New Zealand market.
“The Tadano product has always been well respected, although its reputation did lapse for a period when Tadano was not well represented and when Australian Tadano management tried to manage the New Zealand market as another state of Australia, this didn’t go down well in a very parochial Kiwi market.”
“As soon as Allcrane put our reputation and service and support capabilities behind the Tadano product, neither Tadano nor we have looked back. It has been the same with the Fassi, Marrel and Jekko brands, we have been extremely busy since they came on board,” Mike says.
The experience and training that the Allcrane Sales and Service team have developed is a key reason for the success of the brands the business represents. “Experience and Knowledge are “Gold”.
“We have specialist and knowledgeable product support staff, including parts interpreters who are constantly increasing their knowledge through online ‘E’ learning and gleaning knowledge from visiting factory technical representatives,” Mike says.
Allcrane also has trained long-standing employees involved with the technical sales of products to ensure the customer is getting the right solution for their particular application.
“As a result of COVID-19, factory training for the various brands has been difficult but ‘Needs be as Needs must’ and with the use of Zoom, WhatsApp Video and Facetime we were quick to adopt the benefits of online factory support,” Mike says.
“Innovations like Tadano’s HELLO net, Fassi’s IOC [Internet of Cranes] and other web-based connections have been invaluable in assisting us to maintain our customer’s equipment availability for work. We believe we have been singularly successful in achieving that target right through COVID-19 and the international travel restrictions since March 2019.
“Our service staff and technicians in addition to improving their personal product knowledge are constantly assisting customers mechanics and service providers, as well as managing repairs either in our workshop or by traveling nationally when required,” he says.
“New Zealand is very similar to the Australian market where remote diagnostics from Tadano and our other brands is paramount, particularly when a lot of your product is operating remotely.
“If there is a problem with a product we can be in communication with a technical expert in the factory, on the other side of the world and sort the issues, where possible, expediently.
“Before remote diagnostics and online support, a technician would have to have flown out from Europe or Japan to resolve the issue,” Mike says.
“Fassi have just introduced a new product resource called ‘Fassi Next Eyes’. This technology provides our technician with a pair of ‘half-eyes’ glasses which are worn when on site with a crane actually looking and physically attending to a crane problem while talking via a Skype or WhatsApp video call to the master technician in Europe who is watching what our technician is seeing and doing in real time,” he said.
This enables the technical expert in the factory to provide guidance and advice in real time to solve the issue. Transfer of images, technical data can be displayed as an image onto the inner surface of the ‘Next Eyes’ so that the technician on the job has not only ‘Over the shoulder advice’ but pertinent and topical information and data!
“It’s super clever technology and next Level product support,” Mike says.
“Gone are the days where a mechanic was tempted to take the cow apart to see where the milk comes from.”
Mike is also happy with the support he and his team are receiving from Tadano.
“Obviously, we work very closely with Tadano’s Product Support Team based in Queensland, New South Wales and in Western Australia who have excellent product knowledge and communication skills and are backed by factory master technicians in Japan and Europe. If there is ever an issue our technicians are not familiar with, the factory specialists are there to support us.
“I’m pretty happy with Allcrane Sales and Service’s current status. We have the product range that I’ve always wanted for our customers and the company, and we have an excellent blend of youth and experience in the staff we have on-board.
“While technology is ever developing, getting more reliable and innovative by the day, our support staff are adopting to these developments and are able to ensure the support and service we offer our customers and the products we represent continues to be second to none,” Mike says.