Crane Carrier Company
Crane Carrier Company (often abbreviated CCC) is a manufacturer that specializes in construction truck and garbage truck chassis. Located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, it was established by Samuel Zeligson in 1946, along with the affiliated Zeligson Trucks. The primary design of CCC's trucks are Cab-Beside-Engine (CBE) or half-cabs, most notably the Century II Unimixer. Half-cabs have the advantage of being able to carry the booms of cranes, hence the name of the company.[1]
History
CCC began as a firm that remanufactured World War II-era surplus vehicles for civilian crane-carrying use.[2] In 1953 CCC presented their first own truck, and soon evolved into a company that manufactured over-the-road trucks for concrete mixing, logging, mining, and other construction industries, including a wheeled loader.[2] CCC also builds trucks for oil drilling, water well drilling, terminal tractors, and aviation fuelers. As with most American specialty truck manufacturers, the customer's choice of proprietary engines and transmissions have been available.[2]
Though primarily building CBEs, CCC started moving toward the two-seater market during the 1970s, with models such as the Centaur. The Centurion is a series of low-entry trucks, primarily used for garbage collection. The Centurion has an engine mounted behind the cab and was also available with dual controls.[2]
CCC manufactured Type D school bus chassis during the early to mid-1990s, which were used by bus manufacturers Carpenter Body Company and Wayne Corporation.
CCC sold Zeligson in 1980. It lasted as a separate company for nine years. In 2008, CCC and its parent, CCI Corp., were sold to Glenview, Illinois-based Illinois Tool Works, which stated its plans to continue operating CCC as a separate company.[3]
IN 2013, CCC was bought by Hines Corporation, headquartered in Spring Lake, Michigan.[4] In June 2014, Hines announced that CCC's manufacturing operations would be consolidated with those of another Hines company, Kimble Manufacturing of New Philadelphia, Ohio; CCC's Tulsa manufacturing plant will close. Hines said that some company functions such as sales and customer support would remain in Tulsa to serve both companies.[5]
Resources
- ^ http://www.cranecarrier.com/
- ^ a b c d Baldwin, Nick (1981), The Observer's Book of Commercial Vehicles (#40), London: Frederick Warne, ISBN 0-7232-1619-3
- ^ Illinois company acquires Crane Carrier, Tulsa World, September 16, 2008.
- ^ "Hines Corporation Expands with Acquisition of Crane Carrier Company", June 3, 2013.
- ^ Robert Evatt, "Crane Carrier to shut down Tulsa manufacturing operations", Tulsa World, June 18, 2014.
- The Complete Book of Trucks & Tractors, by John Carroll & Peter Davies.
- American Truck & Bus Spotter's Guide; 1920–1985, by Tad Burness.
External links
- CCC Official Site (JavaScript Required)
- Martin Phippard Photograph (Hank's Truck Pictures)
- Yard Truck Information Center (Truck Pictures & History)
- CCC (Internet Movie Cars Database)
