Early model Tiger Crane from the 1990s. (Click to enlarge.)

This May marks a major milestone at Service Trucks International—35 years of manufacturing and selling Tiger Cranes. What began as a bold move to secure a reliable crane supply has evolved into a legacy of strength, innovation, and craftsmanship. From humble beginnings to hitting a monumental 10,000-unit milestone this April, Tiger Cranes has become a recognized leader in the service crane industry—and we’re just getting started.

Tiger Cranes was born in 1989 when Service Trucks International, Ltd. (STI) purchased the assets of Pacific Crane of Oregon. The goal? Ensure a steady crane supply for our custom-built service bodies. Early on, cranes mounted on STI truck bodies carried the STI brand, while “loose” cranes sold to other truck body builders were branded as Tiger Cranes. That first year, four models launched—2k, 3.5k, 6k, and 8k—offering both electric and hydraulic versions in the mid-range models. A modest 69 units were sold in 1990, but it was just the beginning.

Early edition Tiger Crane. (Click to enlarge.)

Throughout the 1990s, Tiger Cranes steadily gained traction. In 1997, we added our first 10k hydraulic crane. By 2003, the product line underwent a full redesign—introducing hex booms, longer reaches, planetary winches, and wireless remote controls as standard features. Innovations like the self-unhooking block, high-pressure filtration, Auto II speed, and function light bar helped distinguish Tiger Cranes from the competition. Around this time, we unified the branding under the single, now-familiar Tiger Cranes name.

One of the biggest breakthroughs came in 2007 with the debut of our largest model to that date: the 1479, a 14k-capacity, 29-foot triple-boom powerhouse.

In 2013, Tiger Cranes underwent a visual rebranding, replacing the old clip-art-style logo with a sleek, custom-designed logo that better reflected our identity.

Over the last decade, we’ve continued to evolve—adding new models, refining wireless control systems, and customizing options for specialized markets. Today, our lineup features 13 models, many offered in both electric and hydraulic formats.

As we celebrate 35 years of lifting excellence this May, we’re also breaking ground on a brand-new Tiger Crane manufacturing plant. This investment in the future ensures we’ll continue "Raising the Standard" for decades to come.

Here’s to the next 35-plus years of bold engineering, rock-solid performance, and a relentless drive to satisfy customers in a growing number of industries.

A milestone was hit when our 10,000th crane rolled off the production line.