As we approach the end of the year, we'd like to take a moment to reflect and celebrate the top stories from The Crosby Group in 2021—a year of growth, innovative product launches, and continued investment in our people and serving customers.
Top 10 stories from 2021
Kicking off our countdown at number 10 is the investment in an expanded, centralized warehouse to serve the EMEA region. The Crosby Group will more than double the size of its warehouse in Heist-op-den-Berg, Belgium, to meet growing demands in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region. The expansion will empower business partners to source all Crosby Group products from one place.
At number 9 is the Accolift® SC Electric Chain Hoist launch. Accolift SC Electric Chain Hoists are specifically designed to offer reduced headroom and weight reduction for maximum portability and performance on light capacity enclosed track and jib applications.
Learn more about the Accolift SC Electric Chain Hoist
At number 8 is the launch of the Crosby Straightpoint ChainSafe for protecting cargo. The ChainSafe, with a 4t capacity, is a smart dynamic solution for measuring the load on lashing, load securement, tie-downs and chain sling legs, and is specifically designed for the transportation and construction industries to secure loads and cargo.
ChainSafe connects to Crosby SP’s free Android or iOS HHP App, which has real-time overload alerts and reporting for later analysis. With a range of 100m (328ft), the ChainSafe ensures the safety of cargo during transit.
At number 7 in our Year in Review countdown is the Gunnebo Industries Rapid Rescue Chain Kit -- a lifesaver. When accidents happen, every second counts. For firefighters and rescue workers across the globe, it is vital to keep rescue operations as smooth and safe as possible. The chain rescue kit, developed by The Crosby Group, provides the needed flexibility and efficiency in these challenging operations.
Read more about the Rapid Rescue Chain Kit
The Crosby Group's investment in Verton Technologies comes in at number 6. Australian-based Verton develops disruptive advancements in load orientation technology that remove the need for human-held tag lines in lifting applications. These innovations play a critical role in improving the safety and productivity of global lifting operations.
Verton’s solutions include Everest 6, a 20-ton load orienting spreader beam, Everest 30, a modular load orienting system for a broad range of working load limits, and Windmaster, a load orientation device for wind turbine erection.
At number 5 is the acquisition of Speedbinders. Speedbinders are revolutionary ergonomic load binders equipped with patented Torque Drive technology that eliminates the need for repetitive manual ratcheting. The operator uses a portable power drill to easily secure loads and pull the chain, alleviating shoulder strain, reducing injuries, and allowing for easier operation with reduced operation time.
Continuing our countdown at number 4 is the acquisition of BlokCorp and the LEEA 2021 Best Innovation Award for Crosby BlokCam. In April, The Crosby Group welcomed Crosby BlokCam to the growing portfolio of brands. Crosby BlokCam boasts a line of state-of-the-art camera and alert systems for tower and mobile cranes. These advanced systems provide crane operators with critical visual and audio capabilities that enable safer and more productive lifting operations. The systems deliver enhancements in load handling for a number of sectors, most notably construction and renewable energy.
In November, The Crosby Group received the prestigious LEEA 2021 Best Innovation Award for its Crosby BlokCam crane camera system. The Award recognizes a product or service that is truly innovative, providing a unique value proposition and tangible benefits to the lifting equipment industry.
Read more about the acquisition
At number 3 is the launch of The Crosby Group Employee Ownership Program. The Crosby Group delivers the broadest rigging, lifting, and securement portfolio worldwide. The Employee Ownership Program, designed and supported by KKR, launched in July and provides every Crosby team member a meaningful financial stake in the company's growth. KKR and Crosby firmly believe that broad-based employee ownership is a key pillar in driving employee engagement and, in turn, building a stronger business.
Read more about the Employee Ownership Program
Continuing at number 2 is the acquisition of Airpes. In December, The Crosby Group purchased Barcelona-based Airpes, the leader in developing and manufacturing innovative lifting, handling, and weighing solutions for customers in the wind energy and industrial markets. Airpes’ highly engineered solutions, such as their yoke blade clamp, ensure safe and efficient wind turbine installation and maintenance.
Read more about the acquisition
Our top story of 2021 is the success of our 2021 Rigging for the Troops campaign supporting the Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation and kickoff to a new partnership with Bridges to Prosperity.
Rigging for the Troops
In July, The Crosby Group launched a second campaign to raise $25,000 for the Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation (the first one was in 2019). Fallen Patriots provides college scholarships and educational counseling to military children who have lost a parent in the line of duty. A portion of US sales during the campaign went toward a goal of raising $25,000 this year. Through the tremendous support of our Valued Business Partners and end users who purchased Crosby Group products, made generous private donations, and helped raise awareness of the cause on social media, we were thrilled to announce that we exceeded our goal and raised a grand total of $50,000, enough to cover two scholarships. Visit the Rigging for the Troops campaign page
Bridges to Prosperity
In September, The Crosby Group announced a new partnership with Bridges to Prosperity, a US-based non-profit organization that partners with local communities and foundations to build trailbridges around the world with the mission of connecting residents to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities. The Crosby Group has committed to contributing a supply of critical products, such as clips, turnbuckles, snatch blocks, and wire rope tensionmeters (COLTs) for the construction of 32 bridges in Rwanda and eight bridges in Uganda. In addition, Crosby will provide training and expertise to the construction teams to ensure best safety practices for lifting and rigging.
Thank you
Thank you to our employees, Valued Business Partners, and end users for your support. We look forward to a successful 2022—a year of continued focus on providing you safe, reliable, and innovative solutions. Merry Christmas from all of us at The Crosby Group, and we wish you and your families a happy, healthy New Year!
