Mazzella Lifting Technologies
This July, Mazzella Lifting Technologies will celebrate its first anniversary as one of the largest independently owned overhead lifting equipment companies in the nation. It will celebrate this milestone, however, while also looking back at nearly 60 years in the industry.
“Mazzella was started by my dad, Jim Mazzella, in 1954,” says Tony Mazzella, second generation owner and president of Mazzella Lifting Technologies. “He came into the business because his dad, Antonio Mazzella, was an inventor and had invented several types of wire rope slings and had patents on them.”
The company continued making wire rope slings but also diversified to manufacture several related products.
The company has also extended its geographical reach through organic expansion and acquisition. The company, headquartered in Cleveland – with two other Ohio locations, as well as Detroit; Pittsburgh; and Charlotte, N.C. – recently acquired the Indusco Group, giving the company a greater Southeast presence with locations in Baltimore; Washington, D.C.; Virginia; Alabama; and Tennessee.
In addition to a greater reach, Mazzella Lifting Technologies makes sure to have a great depth and breadth of products and capabilities to offer its customers in the energy and other sectors. Today, the company manufactures and supplies cranes and hoists, wire rope, slings and associated hardware, as well as custom-made, engineered lifting devices. It also offers inspection, repair and safety and training services.
“All of our locations have sling capabilities and lifting and rigging capabilities,” Vice President Bill Franz says. “We manufacture cranes in two cities – Cleveland and Charlotte. And we have crane service in about half of our locations. We also touch on nearly every energy segment. All of our locations deal in that segment at some level, whether it’s nuclear power, oil and gas, fossil fuels or wind energy-related.”
Mazzella explains there are commonalities between these energy subdivisions. All operators seek one-stop-shop suppliers, which is why Mazzella’s acquisitions and new product offerings are aimed at hitting its goal of being “The World’s Most Complete Lifting Center,”with key products readily available. In its newest locations, the company stocked the facilities with equipment commonly used in each specific area.
Another key aspect of the company is its support services, which have now become part and parcel to the business.
“We’ve trained a number of people in a very short period of time and it seems to be something the industries are very interested in and something that we are grounded on as a company,” Mazzella says. “We have over 90 people that are certified inspectors in rigging equipment, we also have a trainer that has been recognized by Crane & Rigging Hot Line magazine as one of the top trainers in the country a few years back.”
Mazzella also offers authorized warranty repair, scheduled preventive maintenance, repairs of blocks and 24/7 emergency service.
Mazzella Lifting Technologies’ deep knowledge of its customers’ needs will help it keep up with the growth at major shale plays at Ohio’s Utica Shale and Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale.
By offering on-the-field resources in both Pennsylvania and Ohio; maintaining the right inventory; and offering maintenance, repair and training services, Mazzella gives its customers a value-added option. “It’s important for us to capture these opportunities because we believe that these are long-term plays,” Franz says. “There are pretty substantial deposits in the Utica and Marcellus shales and we could be there for upwards of 10 to 20 years.” EMI