Pub2 2021 Issue1

10 Kentucky Trucker MEMBER FOCUS — GETTING TO KNOW LINK-BELT CRANES’ PAUL CAMPBELL How did you become part of the crane industry? I worked in the import/export business at the Port of Savannah in 1982 and then for a customs broker in Atlanta, Georgia, shipping heavy equipment from 1983 to 1989. In 1989, Link-Belt Cranes was looking for an international transportation coordinator. I applied for the job and have been here for 32 years. What is Link-Belt Cranes’ connection to the trucking industry? We manufacture several crane models that require heavy haul trucking to move them from point A to point B, and we manufacture flatbeds and step decks for secondary loads. We also coordinate inbound shipping at port (both East Coast and West Coast) and with outside parts vendors. Link-Belt Cranes’ use of open equipment runs the whole gamut: • Flats • Steps • Double drops • Heavy-haul trailers (beam trailers, California legal and long well) How did Link-Belt become a market leader? By focusing on continuous improvement and employee empowerment, Link-Belt has emerged as a dynamic and highly focused market leader in crane design and product quality standards. Link-Belt’s core production base and center for worldwide operations is its 800,000 square feet manufacturing facility in Lexington, Kentucky. What are Link-Belt Cranes’ expansion plans? Expansion at our 104-acre facility is ongoing, but some of the major changes we have seen in the last several years include: • A new 30,000 square-foot training and quality assurance building in 2016 • A new 35,000 square-foot shipping pad for crane shipments in 2019 • A new 60,000 square-foot parts distribution center addition for parts storage in 2021