The Stafford Crane Group (SCG) is a private US company that was founded in 2004 by Derek, Patrick and Heather Stafford in Arizona. It was formed as an expansion of Stafford Tower Cranes in Dublin, Ireland, which started operating in 1996. Since it was founded SCG has expanded its scope to include tower crane manufacturing, mobile crane and hoist rental in the US, Mexico and South America and tower crane consulting worldwide. In 2021 SCG acquired Soima Cranes in Portugal, giving it a fabrication facility. It has subsequently set up the “Milano Tower Crane Hub design office” in Milan, Italy.

SCG has now announced it intends to enter the STS crane market by manufacturing Buy America Build America (BABA) compliant cranes in the US.

“Stafford Crane Group (Phoenix, AZ) is in the process of designing and developing an all-new American made ship-to-shore (STS) crane designed from their Milan based engineering studio. After much careful research into this very specific port industry sector, SCG president Patrick Stafford and Derek Stafford (co-owner) gave the green light to this new project’s development. This new development was stimulated by the current BABA (Build America Buy American) initiative from the current administration in the White House to reduce the in-flow of foreign products which is threatening the US economy, and in particular the STS cranes from outside the USA, offering a true American made alternative,” SCG said in its announcement.

SGS is now working on its own STS crane design. The company “will draw on its resources in crane manufacturing to prepare a new concept in STS Cranes utilising their multiple years of experience in tower crane manufacturing (Stafford Tower Cranes) and applying this to a new STS product line. SCG also has know-how to tap into from their experience with the heavy-duty gantry cranes and in particular the NASSCO project to further assist in this new development concept.”

NASSCO refers to General Dynamics NASSCO, the US shipbuilder with several facilities in the country, including two shipyards at Hampton Roads in Virginia. In comments to WorldCargo News SGS said the NASCCO project refers to an upgrade to an existing gantry crane, which SCG refurbished to increase the capacity and replace the electronics.

SCG has a fabrication facility for its tower cranes in Portugal, but it intends to build the main parts for STS cranes in the US. It is considering setting up a new company to build the STS cranes under the Stafford Group.

At this point SCG is still developing its STS crane design. The accompanying drawing is a first proof with most details blurred. SCG said “further design elements which are new to STS cranes” will be added and that some parts of the crane will be a “modular” construction.

SCG plans to source “some” components within the US, including energy chains, electronics/inverters, brakes, ropes, sheaves and other components. Other crane OEMs have noted that there are challenges finding components in the US with the right level of domestic content to be BABA compliant, but SCG expressed confidence that these are available.

At this point the company has not confirmed where it will fabricate and assemble the STS cranes, other than that it is looking in the southwest of the country. It noted that a “near port plant would work best” but might not be possible considering the need for a large area and the necessary skilled labour.

SGS is now researching the market, including what level of technology and automation, US operators require. “Technology has much advanced in crane manufacturing in recent years to make it possible for this type of crane to support automated operations, which will also be explored by Stafford in the design features for this new crane together with eco-energy and sustainability in mind. Much intelligence is being gathered still from the end users to establish what the ideal product should be together with particular attention to the required security and safety features. Further research is ongoing,” the company said.

As well as BABA compliance SGS is focused on Cybersecurity and remote access concerns and says it will “make this topic a priority for [the] STS crane range protecting all and any access to the systems of the cranes.”

As it works through its plan the primary focus is to offer a US-made product. “The Stafford family wish to offer this industry a true American brand of STS/Panamax cranes into the American market, 100% fabricated and manufactured in the southwest of the USA. We also confirm to all current clients in the tower crane sector that it is ‘business as usual’ and there is no cross-over to affect production or delivery of our tower cranes,” SCG concluded.

The Stafford Crane Group (SCG) is a private US company that was founded in 2004 by Derek, Patrick and Heather Stafford in Arizona. It was formed as an expansion of Stafford Tower Cranes in Dublin, Ireland, which started operating in 1996. Since it was founded SCG has expanded its scope to include tower crane manufacturing, mobile crane and hoist rental in the US, Mexico and South America and tower crane consulting worldwide. In 2021 SCG acquired Soima Cranes in Portugal, giving it a fabrication facility. It has subsequently set up the “Milano Tower Crane Hub design office” in Milan, Italy.

SCG has now announced it intends to enter the STS crane market by manufacturing Buy America Build America (BABA) compliant cranes in the US.

“Stafford Crane Group (Phoenix, AZ) is in the process of designing and developing an all-new American made ship-to-shore (STS) crane designed from their Milan based engineering studio. After much careful research into this very specific port industry sector, SCG president Patrick Stafford and Derek Stafford (co-owner) gave the green light to this new project’s development. This new development was stimulated by the current BABA (Build America Buy American) initiative from the current administration in the White House to reduce the in-flow of foreign products which is threatening the US economy, and in particular the STS cranes from outside the USA, offering a true American made alternative,” SCG said in its announcement.

SGS is now working on its own STS crane design. The company “will draw on its resources in crane manufacturing to prepare a new concept in STS Cranes utilising their multiple years of experience in tower crane manufacturing (Stafford Tower Cranes) and applying this to a new STS product line. SCG also has know-how to tap into from their experience with the heavy-duty gantry cranes and in particular the NASSCO project to further assist in this new development concept.”

NASSCO refers to General Dynamics NASSCO, the US shipbuilder with several facilities in the country, including two shipyards at Hampton Roads in Virginia. In comments to WorldCargo News SGS said the NASCCO project refers to an upgrade to an existing gantry crane, which SCG refurbished to increase the capacity and replace the electronics.

SCG has a fabrication facility for its tower cranes in Portugal, but it intends to build the main parts for STS cranes in the US. It is considering setting up a new company to build the STS cranes under the Stafford Group.

At this point SCG is still developing its STS crane design. The accompanying drawing is a first proof with most details blurred. SCG said “further design elements which are new to STS cranes” will be added and that some parts of the crane will be a “modular” construction.

SCG plans to source “some” components within the US, including energy chains, electronics/inverters, brakes, ropes, sheaves and other components. Other crane OEMs have noted that there are challenges finding components in the US with the right level of domestic content to be BABA compliant, but SCG expressed confidence that these are available.

At this point the company has not confirmed where it will fabricate and assemble the STS cranes, other than that it is looking in the southwest of the country. It noted that a “near port plant would work best” but might not be possible considering the need for a large area and the necessary skilled labour.

SGS is now researching the market, including what level of technology and automation, US operators require. “Technology has much advanced in crane manufacturing in recent years to make it possible for this type of crane to support automated operations, which will also be explored by Stafford in the design features for this new crane together with eco-energy and sustainability in mind. Much intelligence is being gathered still from the end users to establish what the ideal product should be together with particular attention to the required security and safety features. Further research is ongoing,” the company said.

As well as BABA compliance SGS is focused on Cybersecurity and remote access concerns and says it will “make this topic a priority for [the] STS crane range protecting all and any access to the systems of the cranes.”

As it works through its plan the primary focus is to offer a US-made product. “The Stafford family wish to offer this industry a true American brand of STS/Panamax cranes into the American market, 100% fabricated and manufactured in the southwest of the USA. We also confirm to all current clients in the tower crane sector that it is ‘business as usual’ and there is no cross-over to affect production or delivery of our tower cranes,” SCG concluded.