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Speed, efficiency and superior customer service is what AAA Services “The Crane Guys” is all about. A typical day for AAA Services is doing anywhere from six to fourteen lifts per crane. The company has a fleet of five Manitex 22-101S boom trucks as well as a 75 ton Link-Belt hydraulic crane. During the summer months when AAA Services is working at peak capacity they may have as many as 50 lifts in a single day. Schedules are so tight at times that in many cases AAA Services must set up their equipment, perform the lift and dismantle in fifteen minutes.
In order to be able to accomplish the high number of lifts required on a daily basis AAA Services relies on their Manitex boom trucks. “The Manitex can out perform any comparable crane because they have a 110 ft. reach,” said company owner, Danny Matranga. “They are extremely reliable machines that can practically do the impossible. Because we are completing so many lifts every day we need machinery that isn’t going to be prone to breaking down.”
AAA Services specializes in residential lifts. The company installs heating and airconditioning units, spas, bar-b-ques, boulders, trees, just about anything that would require the use of a crane for placement. Customer Service is a top priority with AAA Services. “All of our cranes are painted red, white, blue and chrome,” said Danny. “We make
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(Above)
Berry Knapp
operating the
Manitex 22-101S.
(Right)
Danny
Matranga,
owner of
AAA Services. |
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certain that all of our equipment is well maintained and spotless. We use state-of the-art machinery. We feel that when we do a job we are representing the customer. We want the customer to feel at ease.” |
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In addition to servicing residential clients AAA Service has completed work for the Sacramento Kings. The company lifted and placed a dozen trees at the basketball team’s training center. Due in a large part to the Kings’ schedule AAA Services had to have the entire job completed in a single day. The company performed a similar job, setting palm trees at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Sacramento. One of the factors for the company getting the contract was their Manitex boom trucks. “We got that job because we had equipment that could get into the area and perform the necessary work without tying up traffic,” said Danny. The Manitex has great mobility, because of its long reach it can do jobs other cranes can’t. ” AAA Service has also lifted and placed sculptures and art works throughout the city of Sacramento.
Shortly after Katrina’s devastating storm AAA Service worked with the National Guard. The Guard was producing a training piece on rescue operations. The idea was to simulate emergency rescue operations in a river. AAA Service used two cranes that were set up in the Sacramento River for the training shoot. One of the cranes suspended a rescuer while the second crane put the photographer aloft. “That was a different type of job for us,” said Danny. “With the weather we had and the way the river was running that day it looked like the real thing.”
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(Above) Steve Horrell operating the Manitex.
(Top Right) AAA Services working with the National
Guard to produce a training piece on rescue
operations in the Sacramento River.
(Bottom Right) Matt Smith in the Manitex 22-101S
cab, changing out a residental AC unit. |
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AAA Service has also tested the bushings on antennas used for communications with US Naval submarines. The antenna is held in place and the bushings are pumped with high voltage in order to test them for the possibility of flare-out. This is yet another project that is atypical of the work performed by most crane companies. “The majority of the work we perform is in the residential sector,” said Danny. “But we aren’t afraid to get involved with other types of projects.” Mobility, speed and efficiency have played a strong role even in the residential projects. More than once AAA Service has been called upon to perform crane service that another company was not able to do, primarily because of the tight quarters and not having equipment that could navigate such an area and still have the lift and reach capacity of the Manitex. In addition to the various lifts the company performs, AAA Service also is actively involved with crane certification as well.
Danny readily acknowledges that Coastline Equipment is a major factor when it comes to AAA Service running a tight schedule. “We have gotten all of our cranes from Coastline,” said Matranga. “They [Coastline Equipment] have been a big help not only on the sales end but also on the warranty and service end.
We run our machines hard and put them through a lot every day. In order to do that we must have equipment that is in top working order and dependable. When a machine does break down Coastline as always been there to get the crane repaired quickly. We need that type of service support in order to maintain our schedule. If a machine breaks down and we can’t get to a job it is an inconvenience to the customer. Steve, Mike and Rick have been really great people when it comes to working with us.” Steve Whisenhunt is Coastline’s Division Manager. Mike Calderon is a Coastline sales rep and Rick McMasters is the shop foreman.
AAA Service was started by Danny’s father Gary in 1972. At the time the company also specialized in sign installation and had everything from a small crane, up to 175-ton hydraulic crane. About six years after starting the company, Gary decided to shift the company’s focus to small crane operation.
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Danny worked for his father while going to school. He would sweep up the shop, wash the cranes and perform mechanical repairs on the equipment. In 1998 Danny went to work fulltime with the company. After working his way through clean-up and maintenance Danny moved on to operate one of the company’s cranes. “I still love operating the cranes,” Danny admitted. “I enjoy being able to run a company and still get to work out in the field.” It is this very “hands-on” approach that has made AAA Service a success. “I really enjoy working with our customers, having the ability to interact with them and the crews are what make my job enjoyable.”
Gary retired in 2005 and Danny took over running the company. Being a family run company also accounts for the loyalty of AAA Service’s employees. While the |
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| company only has eight employees all but one has tenure of well over five years. One of the company’s workers has been with AAA Service from nearly its inception. “We are a family based company and run the company like a family,” said Danny. “We are lucky to have a great bunch of guys working for us.” One of the challenges that a company like AAA Services faces, in addition to rising fuel and insurance costs, is competition from smaller owner/operators. “A single person who buys a machine doesn’t have the overhead we have and they tend to drive the market down,” Danny explained. “That is why we must offer our customers the best service and performance possible. We feel the need to go above and beyond in order to remain competitive.” Speed, efficiency and customer service are what made AAA Service the success it is today. For more information regarding AAA Services please go to the company’s website AAACraneServices.com. Cc |
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(Above) AAA Services removing
an old residental AC unit.
(Top Right) Howard Cooper.
(Bottom Right) AAA Services
using the 75-ton to set a
fountain for the college at
UC Davis. |
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