NIWA CRANE LTD. Stacey Lee


For the past 35 years Niwa Crane Ltd. has provided crane services to Medicine Hat, southern Alberta, and southeastern Saskatchewan.


Greg Niwa, President, says he is proud of the company’s achievements.


“I started the company in 1977 with one crane. Two and a half years later we had nine cranes. We have always called Medicine Hat home, even though we were partners in Northstar Crane in Calgary for 11 years.”


Northstar was sold a few years back but Niwa chose to retain the Medicine Hat branch, to keep it in the family.


“My brother Bruce Niwa joined the company in 1979. My son, Brandon Niwa, has been working here since he was 15 years old. Chris Richardson, who has been here long enough to be considered family, has also been here since he was a teenager. Anita Fischer, Office Manager, has been keeping everyone in line for 22 years. This is truly a family owned and operated business.”


Niwa says the main reason the company is successful is its dedication to customer satisfaction.


“A lot of people think that customer service is dead… not here. When you call us, there is a human being that answers the phone 24/7. We stay on top of our customers’ needs and are aware of what is important to them. Little things are not just anything, they are everything."


Niwa Crane operates a modern fleet of cranes that utilizes all the latest lifting technology available.


“We have eight cranes… We just purchased a new HTC 3140 Link-Belt 140-ton as well as a new HTC 8690 Link-Belt 90-ton within the last year. We provide crane service to about a 200-mile radius. We are available 24 hours a day 365 days a year.”


You have a job too big for Niwa Crane to handle? Niwa says, that is not a problem.


“We have an alliance with Mammoet Canada; one of the largest crane rental


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companies in the world. They are based in Calgary… handle all our larger lifts, and provide us with engineering services.”


With Mammoet and Niwa, no job is too big, or too small.


“We will come out, provide supervision, provide the rigging and riggers to hook it up, the crane to lift it, the operator to run the crane, the truck and trailer, the driver to drive the truck, we move it, and set it wherever it is supposed to go… one-stop- shopping.” Aside from its fleet of cranes Niwa maintains truck mounted pickers, specialized trailers and a jack and roll system.


With all of their successes it might blow your hair back to hear the company has never suffered a lost-time accident and that is something that Niwa is proud of.


“We have been very blessed in that regard. It takes vigilance… and probably a little good luck. With a good safety program, paying attention and common sense we have been very fortunate to never have had anyone hurt. Keeping your employees educated and up to speed on the dangers that they can encounter is incorporated into our daily work. It is the most important part of what we do.”


Previous Niwa projects can be found all over the Gas City.


“In the last 35 years, every major project that has been constructed in this city, we’ve lifted something on that job. We lift things, that is what we do. We lift process skids, piping, compressor engines, steel, grain handling systems, modular homes, anything.”


Niwa Crane Ltd. even played a role in developing the city’s skyline erecting the Saamis Tepee, which has become one of the city’s most recognized landmarks.


“In conjunction with GVN Structures (which Niwa was a partner in at the time) we utilized a bigger crane out of Calgary and two of ours. It was like putting a puzzle together because we had to have all three cranes lifting the pieces at the same time… and connecting them in midair.”


Niwa is very thankful for the support THE WESTERN CANADIAN PIPELINE | APRIL 2012


of the community and the surrounding district, and for that, giving back to the community has always been big part of the company philosophy. Hockey, little league, football, soccer; the Niwa Crane name has been on the back of numerous jerseys. Other favorites are the McCoy High School scholarship program, Camp McCoy and others. The Niwa Family Fund, set up with the Community Foundation of Medicine Hat & Southeastern Alberta, is presently helping the Community of Acadia Valley (where the Niwa boys grew up) build a new hockey arena.


With the company’s history so intertwined with Medicine Hat, Niwa is proud to present the company at the Southern Alberta Petroleum Show May 8-9 in the Cypress Center (Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede). Although SAPS is a trade show, Niwa says his involvement is focused on celebrating the company’s longevity.


“We are here… my son is here. I think it is every business man’s wish to have his son continue on with the company. The second generation is taking the reins and we plan on being here for a long time because we still enjoy what we are doing.”


Niwa says his son, Brandon, knows the ropes and that he is proud to be able to hand the company down adding that he still has an office and a desk from which to steer occasionally.


Find Niwa Crane Ltd. online at www. niwacrane.com, or call the office at 403- 580-8888 for that personal touch Greg promised. Contact Niwa Crane Ltd. via email at: general@niwacrane.com.


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