Celebrating success: National Crane marks its 75th anniversary

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A fully functional 1963 National Crane Series 5T-46 (left), and a current NBT45-2 model (right). (Photo on left by Runnion Equipment Company)

  • The company was founded in 1947 as Burg Manufacturing in Nebraska and merged into National Crane Corp. in 1963. It became part of the Manitowoc crane brand portfolio in 2002.
  • For decades the National Crane brand has been synonymous with boom trucks, and it remains the market leader to this day.
  • The company is celebrating the milestone throughout 2022, highlighting its most popular models, memorable projects, and the people past and present who have driven the company’s success.

National Crane is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2022, highlighting a legacy of dependability, innovation, and support that sets the global standard for boom trucks.

National Crane was founded in 1947 as Burg Manufacturing by Marlo Burg in Nebraska. The company’s first product was agricultural weed sprayers, but in 1963 it changed its name to National Crane Corp., to reflect its expansion into boom trucks. Grove acquired the company in 1978, and it became part of the Manitowoc portfolio in 2002.

Today, National Crane is a globally recognized crane brand. The company has patented numerous lifting technologies and produced best-in-class boom trucks across several crane generations. Its success shows no signs of slowing.

Several National Crane models have the highest capacities in their range, and new technologies, such as hydraulically removable counterweight systems, are making lifting work easier and more efficient than ever. Since 2012 the company has operated its popular National Crane Truck Mod Center, where customers’ tailor-made, engineered solutions ensure each truck and crane are perfectly matched for their applications.

“We’re extremely proud to celebrate National Crane’s 75th anniversary with the brand’s loyal customer base,” said Aaron Ravenscroft, president and CEO of The Manitowoc Company, Inc. “It has been an incredible journey for National Crane, and we are confident that the future will bring continued success. We would like to thank all the employees, customers and crane operators that have contributed to the business over the years and look forward to the next 75 years and beyond.”