The Top 10 Issues Facing Crane Rental Companies in 2025

Your company will face challenges, that’s a given. Some are in your control, most are not. Below we break down ten of the biggest issues facing crane companies and how you can take action.

You’re consistently tasked with forecasting costs, staying within budget, bidding jobs with confidence, taking care of your team and providing a safe work environment. Insurance is a must, but with a volatile market and rising costs, the stress of finding the right coverage is daunting. While you can’t control the market, you can work with brokers who understand your operations and can demonstrate your value to carriers.

Finding, and keeping, a skilled team in place is the plight of leadership in a variety of industries. Crane operators require certifications and expertise that can’t be taught in a day. There’s no quick training, no shortcuts, and the cost of turnover is extreme. With much of the crane operator workforce aging or nearing retirement, coupled with an increase in construction, infrastructure, and industrial projects across the country, this position is in demand. Ensuring your team feels valued, respected and heard is paramount to retention rates. 

No two areas have the exact same set of safety standards in place. Varying compliance matters across states, cities, towns and beyond can feel like a constant source of anxiety for operators. An OSHA violation not only affects the integrity of the company long-term, it can halt or end projects and impact insurance costs. Safety is your biggest and most important priority. Stay educated and stay safe. 

Keeping your machines running, and running without issue, is a never ending process. From general maintenance to unexpected mechanical failures, costs are high, service appointments might be hard to come by and projects can be stalled due to the inability to get your machines back in action. Preventative maintenance and user effectiveness are supremely important to keep costs low and keep machines on task. 

Embracing advances in technology can strengthen your brand and offer customers added value. The questions are when to invest and where. Digital reporting and telematics for your cranes can increase safety and efficiency, but the time to train your crew and the cost to upgrade have to factor into your decision. Executing changes with respect to your preferred timing is key to success. 

Each agreement signed comes with its own set of insurance implications. If there’s a gap between your contract and what you are actually liable for, this can be a huge financial issue. Look for indemnification clauses, additional insured requirements and waiver of subrogation provisions that could expose you over and above what your coverage doesn’t address. 

Incidents happen and claims are filed. Review the process you currently go through to handle those claims. Is it seamless and timely, or is there room for improvement? Do you have experts on your side to help manage these situations? Support is a vital factor to keep the claims process smooth. 

Expanding as a company is exciting, but it also comes with new licensing requirements and regulations. To lessen the risks, understand your coverage inside and out. It will look different from state to state. 

Your costs go up, while other rates fluctuate. You know the projects that are in your pipeline, but you can’t know every obstacle or problem that could arise. Your investment into equipment and team are decisions that demand strategy behind them, so planning and relying on experience will enable you to move forward with assurance.  

Our environment deserves our help. Green building initiatives and emissions regulations are reshaping what customers expect. Cleaner technology and upgraded equipment is better for the world and appealing to your customers, but it comes with added expense. Regularly review your budget and make space for these initiatives. 

While challenges are vast, you don't have to face them alone.

At Emery & Karrigan, we’re your partners through it all. Your success is our legacy. 

Reach out to us with questions anytime.