Atlantic Coast Cranes: Expertise Earned By Decades Of Experience

The story of Atlantic Coast Cranes begins in a restaurant. When owner Wally Jones was getting his undergrad degree at UNC-Chapel Hill, he worked in restaurants owned by A.E. Finley. On football weekends, he says, “I made more money than I thought existed, $150 to $200. That was a lot of money back then.”

After college, Finley hired Jones to work as a crane salesman for A.E. Finley & Associates in Raleigh. Soon after, Finley asked him to go to the company’s Richmond, Virginia, location, where he would go on to become a sales manager. In 1981, he bought A.E. Finley & Associates of Virginia with three other people.

---

“Big things are happening at ACC!” says owner Wally Jones (center) with George Pennington (left) and Phin Generelly (right).

When a recession hit the industry in 1991, the company closed, but Jones was asked by the bank to help them liquidate the inventory and with that, Atlantic Coast Cranes was born. Today the company is a factory-authorized dealer for Terex and Manitex cranes and offers full service and parts for any crane.

Beyond Sales

In his 55 years in the industry, Jones has become a crane expert. And with a knowledgeable staff, Atlantic Coast Cranes is more than just a place to buy a crane. “Our longevity in the business, our experience, our knowledge of cranes and their applications, has given us the ability to solve customers’ problems,” he says. “People call us from all over the world because we have that reputation.”

Reaching New Heights With CraneTrader

Part of the success Atlantic Coast Cranes has seen during its 33 years in business has included its use of Machinery Trader and now CraneTrader. Jones estimates they have advertised with the two publications for a combined 15 to 20 years. “We get good response from your publication and website,” Jones says, noting that they get more, higher-quality leads from CraneTrader than any other advertising platforms they use.

Recently, Atlantic Coast Cranes moved from a quarter-page ad to a full-page ad. That move was quickly followed by the sale of a new crane, which Jones attributes to that larger ad. “I don’t think the buyer would have seen it except that we increased the size.”

Increased Exposure Online

Earlier this year, Atlantic Coast Cranes began using Sandhills Global and Machinery Trader to host its website at www.ACCranes.com. With that move, all its listings on CraneTrader.com and any other Sandhills trade sites link back to the Atlantic Coast Cranes site, where buyers can view the company’s full inventory and services. “That exposure is important,” says Jones. “The number of people CraneTrader covers vs. having our own website, that link gives us more views than we would have otherwise.”

No Signs Of Slowing Down

Jones has no plans to stop anytime soon, though after 55 years, he could retire if he wanted. “I don’t have to work, but I enjoy work,” he says. “I particularly enjoy the people I work with, the customers, the supplier, and of course my employees. We have a great staff. I just enjoy working in the crane industry, it has fantastic people in it.”

A version of this article first appeared in Sandhills Magazine. You can find the current issue and back issues in the Sandhills Magazine Archive.