After Working for Many Years As An Ironworker
After working for many years as a union ironworker for other contractors, Cisco Minix had a bold vision of going into business for himself. So, in 1969, with his brother Willard by his side, he set off to do just that. After a suggestion from a friend, they came up with the name Crane Industrial Service CO (Company) as an acronym of his own name, Cisco. With the help of his wife Roberta acting as secretary and treasurer, they started Crane Industrial from the back of their house.
Within a few short years, Cisco purchased a couple of cranes and had been awarded the
steel contracts on some major projects. With a steady reputation for being able to deliver, the jobs began to come more frequently and another brother, Harlow, joined the business.
Cisco’s children Jerry, Terry, and Linda, cannot recall a time when they were not a part of the business. Jerry proudly led by example as an ironworker and general foreman, Terry was brought into the office to utilize his business schooling, and Linda has handled many of the administrative duties.
Jerry’s son, Jerry Jr., has been a crane operator since 1993, while Terry’s oldest son, Jeff, after years as an ironworker, is now estimating projects. Even Terry’s other son, Jamey, has recently found a place in the company. Not exclusively a Minix trait, Crane Industrial is very proud to employ other families that are seeing their third generations work as both crane operators and ironworkers.
Today, the modest office can still be found on the back of the house, but, as the saying goes, “don’t let that fool you”. Ever since its inception, Crane Industrial has taken on some of the biggest projects in the area and handled them with the professionalism that you would expect, but with a passion and diligence that surprises most everyone.
Crane Industrial has completed a multitude of projects at Notre Dame, as well as The Kroc Center, Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center, MonoSol, AM General, H2, Memorial Hospital, Elkhart General, and University Park Mall, just to name a few.
On any given day, you can still find Cisco’s kids coming in to work. With a sense of pride and responsibility to honor what their father started, they continue well past the point when society asks “Why?”. Although Cisco passed away in 1999, he is still present every day in the work ethic that he built this company on so many years ago.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you rent bare equipment?
We do not. All equipment rentals come with a union-certified operator as well as riggers upon request.
What areas do you work in?
Typically, we serve Northern Indiana and Southwestern Michigan, but please give us a call to see where you fall in our service area. If by chance we cannot help you, we might have another contractor we could recommend.
What is the largest capacity of your cranes?
275 Tons is the largest capacity.
Will I need chokers & slings?
No, our cranes come with most rigging items you will need. Specialty items like lifting beams or man baskets are available as well.
Do I have to do the rigging?
We have Ironworkers available to handle the rigging and signaling for your project.