ACT EXCLUSIVE: Appling joins Brewer Crane as an investor and board member

Mike Appling, Jr. has joined the team of San Diego, CA-based Brewer Crane & Rigging, American Cranes & Transport has learned exclusively. He joins the company as an investor and board member, finalizing his investment in the company on March 22, 2024.

Mike Appling has joined the company as an investor and board member.

Formerly CEO of TNT Crane and Rigging, Appling and his team built the Houston, TX-based company from $37 million in revenue to approximately half a billion dollars during his 15-year tenure. He left the company in March of 2023.

Appling has been working with Brewer Crane since mid-2023, when President and CFO Brent Garcia reached out to him about a consultant role to help with the company’s strategic plan for growth. Appling told ACT that he had been familiar with Brewer Crane since 2017, and he worked with the team at Main Street Capital when they invested in the company.

“It’s a great company with a great history,” he said. “After a few months of working with them, we made some good progress, and I knew I wanted to get more involved. I have met the employee team, and they are first rate, and I’m excited to get to know more of their customers.”

He said that Brewer Crane is in a unique position to grow their business in Southern California and this growth may include some merger and acquisition opportunities.

“I have been extremely impressed with Brent Garcia and the entire management team,” he said. “I look forward to partnering with Brewer and working with Main Street Capital to grow the company to the next level. Their performance and deep customer relationships position the company perfectly to do just that.”

Brent Garcia, President and CFO, Brewer Crane

The Brewer team is looking forward to the new partnership with Appling.

“It’s exciting that Mike took such an interest in us,” Garcia said in a press release. “I can’t wait to see the company’s next evolution of growth with him on board. Mike’s deep industry knowledge is such an asset…we’re going to leverage that to ‘lift Brewer Crane to new heights,’ my family’s mantra since we opened the doors.”

Brewer Crane was founded in 1997 by Rolynda and Brent Brewer, Brent Garcia’s mother and late step-father. They started the company with a 70-ton P&H truck crane, and its world headquarters was on Rolynda’s parent’s kitchen table.

Today Brewer Crane is a force in the Southern California market, specializing in mobile cranes, rough terrain cranes, tower cranes and construction hoists. Licensed to operate in three western states, Brewer Crane & Rigging is one of the largest providers of tower cranes in the region, Appling said.