History

1950 - A young entrepreneur, John Curran, purchases a 1933 Link Belt Speeder Backhoe for $400.00 and contracted work in Detroit's Aurora Gasoline Refinery, now know as Marathon Ashland Refinery, under the name Dearborn Excavating Company.

1953 - Contracted for all types of excavating work including basements, sewers, and water mains.

1954 - JJ Curran buys his first crane - a Lorain 30-ton mobile truck crane

1958 - By 1958, JJ Curran owned six mobile cranes. This became the dominate business under the name Downriver Crane Company.

1959 - Downriver Crane Company's name is changed to JJ Curran Crane Company.

1963 - After visiting a nationwide equipment trade show, JJ made a commitment to hydraulic cranes as the way of the future. Gradually he sold all of the aging conventional machines and replaced them with modern hydraulic telescoping boom cranes.

1970 - JJ Curran Crane Company operated a fleet of over 50 machines and had a staff of 34 employees

1972 - Larry Curran joins the business as a full time employee

1974 - Expanded maintenance facility to over 20,000 square feet

1975 - The 140-Ton Grove, one of the largest hydraulic truck cranes available anywhere in the world is owned by JJ Curran Crane

1980 - JJ Curran Crane Company purchases 80 Ton RT

1981 - Jeff Curran joins the business as a full time employee

1985 - JJ Curran Crane celebrates the purchase of a Grove TM 2500-A (300 Ton) Hydraulic Truck crane, the first in the Midwest

1988 - John Curran is named Chairman of the Board, Larry Curran is named President, and Jeff Curran is named Vice President

- Curran Lifting Systems, Inc. is formed

1990 - Purchases the 500 Ton, one of 3 in America

1993 - 5 new Grove RT's and 300 Ton truck crane are purchased

- Crane Cost & Care is formed

1995 - Presented with the SC&RA Safety Award as the Winner of Crane & Rigging Group Safety Contest

2000 - Continuing to prove that JJ Curran was Michigan's leader in hydraulic cranes, we purchased a 120 Ton Liebherr All-Terrain crane, featuring 171' of boom and 62 foot swing away jib on a five axle carrier.

2001 - As a symbol of support for the many Americans affected by the September 11th tragedies, JJ Curran and the George P. Johnson Co. raised one of the world's largest American flags in Auburn Hills, MI along I-75, using our 440 Ton Demag HC-1010 hydraulic truck crane.

2002 - The second 120 Ton Liebherr All-Terrain crane is added to the fleet

- SC&RA presents JJ Curran with the 25 Year Longevity Award (1977-2002) at the annual convention in Tucson, Arizona.

2004 - US Steel awards JJ Curran Crane with Tier I supplier status

2006 - Curran Crane once again expands it's hydraulic fleet by purchasing three Linkbelt TRC-80100 rough terrain cranes. They include the revolutionary hydrostatic drive on a 3 axle, 6 wheeled carrier, and 45 ton pick & carry capacities.

2007 - JJ Curran Crane receives SC&RA's 30 years of service award. More>

- JJ Curran Crane is Michigan's leader in large hydraulic self propelled rough terrain cranes with its purchase of the Grove RT875E and RT890E.

- JJ Curran Crane announces the arrival of the GMK 5275, Grove\'s newest offering in the five-axle AT class, featuring an impressive 223 foot, seven section full power Mega Form boom with Twin Lock pinning. The 275 ton capacity crane can lift loads up to 354 feet with inserts and jib.

- Linda Curran is named Historian of the SC&RA

2008 - Curran Crane continues to expand it's rough terrain fleet by purchasing three Grove RT 750's and one Grove RT 760. Each of these cranes features 110' of boom with 32'-56' telescopic jibs and are equipped with 2 winches.

- JJ Curran Crane recently acquired a Link-Belt RTC 8090 which features a five section, 38’ - 140’ boom and the all new Link Belt patented locking and latching system described in the manufacturers literature as, “ . . . a single hydraulic cylinder (used) to move all five boom sections, one at a time. And, unlike other cranes with latching booms, there is no deduct in the lift chart for telescoping a load. To make maintenance a cinch, the design incorporates Teflon wear pucks impregnated in the wear pad surfaces so the boom requires no grease whatsoever. The single cylinder design allows huge lift capacities while yielding a light working weight.”

2009 - Linda Curran continues her tenure on the Ladies Group Governing Committee and was sworn in as the Chairman. As Chairman, Linda is responsible for organizing SC&RA Foundation fundraising events and reporting progress to the SC&RA’s Board of Directors.

Larry Curran was appointed to SC&RA’s Crane and Rigging Group Governing Committee where he will serve a three-year term. This committee oversees the Labor, Safety Education & Training Committee, and Workshop Program Task Force.

2010 - JJ Curran Crane completed it's largest project to date in the company's 60 year history, the Marathon Rifining Division's Detroit Fall Turnaround. The project consisted of approximately 130 men operating 60 cranes with no incidents or lost time accidents.

JJ Curran Crane was presented the Associated General Contractors of Michigan Outstanding Safety Performance Award. Curran Crane's total (OSHA/BLS) recordable cases and incident rating of 0 were among the criteria met to receive this award.

Larry Curran was elected to the SC&RA Board where he will serve a three year term. He maintained his position as a committee member of the Crane & Rigging Group.

Linda Curran completed her tenure as Chair of the SC&RA Ladies Group and where she was responsible for orgainizing and planning the Foundation Gala that provides money for scholarships and industry wide research projects.