Friday roundup: tower talk, Utility Expo 2025, certification status

MONDAY

Tower crane service providers offer extra specialised services that include erection, jumping, inspecting and dismantling these sky-high lifters.

Brent Garcia, Brewer Crane, Judd Wagstaff, Wagstaff Crane and Bronson Crane and Amy Marten, Reynolds Rigging & Crane Service

While some tower crane-owning companies erect their own tower cranes, others rely on the expertise of predominantly mobile crane companies to erect and dismantle their cranes.

To discuss this market, ACT Editor D.Ann Shiffler reached out to three companies in the United States that provide tower crane services: Brewer Crane in San Diego, California; Wagstaff Crane and Bronson Crane in Murray, Utah; and Reynolds Rigging and Crane Service in DeForest, Wisconsin. Brent Garcia, Judd Wagstaff and Amy Marten, from each of these companies, respectively, answered a range of questions about the market and the nuances of providing tower crane services.

This roundtable addresses several important questions about tower crane services and why high level expertise is required in this niche specialty.

WEDNESDAY

The 2025 Utility Expo is shaping up to be the biggest in the show’s history when it returns to the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky, USA, held 7-9 October. Recognized as the largest and fastest-growing trade show in the utility construction sector, the event is expected to draw more than 21,000 professionals and contractors to a record 1.5 million square feet of exhibits. Indoors and outdoors, attendees will see the latest in fleet vehicles, equipment, safety technologies and solutions for electric, gas, telecom and water systems.

The Utility Expo returns to the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky, USA, held 7-9 October.

More than just an equipment showcase, the Utility Expo is also a learning hub. This year’s program includes 30+ field classrooms, peer-to-peer demonstrations and jobsite simulations. New for 2025 are live competitions like the HDD Rodeo Showcase and the NUCA Equipment Operators Challenge, along with Damage Prevention LIVE!, an interactive area focused on underground safety.

In addition to exhibits and training sessions, the event brings together a wide cross-section of the utility construction sector. Attendees will have opportunities to compare equipment in real-world demo areas, hear perspectives on industry challenges and connect with peers and experts from across North America.

THURSDAY

CCO Certification is launching CertConnect on 17 September 2025, a major upgrade within the existing myCCO portal. Developed in response to industry demand, CertConnect gives employers, training providers, insurance companies and regulators real-time visibility into operator certification status.

An operator utilizes CCO Cert Connect, a new portal feature

By creating an organization within myCCO, stakeholders can connect with individual candidates and gain instant access to their current certifications, expiration dates and photo IDs. Once a connection is approved, managers are automatically notified any time a certification is added or is nearing expiration.

CertConnect eliminates the need for manual tracking tools or daily searches through VerifyCCO. Everything from initial certification to renewal is now streamlined, automated and centralized in one place. Whether you manage a few operators or hundreds, CertConnect helps ensure compliance while keeping your workforce job-site ready.