INTERVIEW
24
ACT
SEPTEMBER 2013
“They are all names that have a history
or a meaning. Most are named after
significant females in the Allegiance
family.”
We chatted for a bit, and Robertson
was able to offer a lot of insight about
everything from the Allegiance strategy
to the economic outlook for the crane
industry. He is very interested in politics
and has worked with the Florida Crane
Owners Association and the Florida ABC
on lobbying the Florida State Legislature
on legislation favorable to crane owners.
“I’m looking for pro-business solutions,”
he says. “That’s the key to keeping people
at work.”
Robertson is also passionate about
building a team of people who enjoy their
jobs, are well paid and who are the very
best at what they do.
“I’m a relationships guy and that starts
with our Purpose Partners (employees),”
he says.
In Florida, most of the Allegiance team
has been with him for a long time. As
for the new members of the Allegiance
team, he says they are getting to know the
culture, which is a family type atmosphere.
“When you walk down our halls, you can
feel it,” he says of the culture and positive
attitudes of the Allegiance team. “You
need to invest in your people. We have
been adding a lot of jobs.”
As of June 2013, the company employed
about 240 people in Texas and Florida.
Robertson says while Allegiance has
been acquiring new companies at a rapid
pace, he says the process requires a lot of
due diligence.
“We have a strong fund behind us, and
that’s good,” he says. “But we have to
make sure it’s the right fit.”
Diversity of services is also a key strategy
for Robertson and his team.
“We want to take our rigging services to
another level,” he says. “We just finished
at a pipe manufacturing facility in Corpus
Christi that we accomplished with flying
colors. We want to do more crawler work
and heavy haul work as well.”
The company’s fleet includes rough
terrain, tower cranes, all terrains, boom
trucks and hoists. He says the company
has a lot of work on the books throughout
Florida and in South Texas. Work has
been steady and the pace has been fast, he
says.
“It’s a fast-paced business,” he says. “I
love that part of it. Fast paced. That’s me. I
like to be moving.”
WHAT IS THE EVOLUTION OF ALLEGIANCE
CRANE & EQUIPMENT?
Thirty-two months ago, I and the team at
Prophet Equity Group, founded by Ross
Gatlin, purchased the assets of General
Crane USA, which began the birth of
Allegiance Crane & Equipment, LLC.
WHAT IS THE SCOPE OF OPERATIONS OF
ALLEGIANCE CRANE?
Allegiance offers a wide array of services
to several major industries across
the southern United States including
commercial construction, petrochemical,
HVAC and the oil and gas refinery sector.
The company combines modern
equipment with highly trained operators
to provide the most up-to-date service in
the industry. Allegiance’s single source
provider approach also allows us to supply
equipment for all phases of a job from
start to finish and everything in between.
We furnish rough terrain cranes coming
out of the ground, tower crane service
from 140 meter ton to 630 meter ton,
large hydros to finish up specialized heavy
picks at the end of the project along with
providing state-of-the-art Alimak and
Pega personnel and material hoists and
other specialized tools and accessories to
meet any rigging needs.
Allegiance Crane & Equipment has
performed rigging services for generators
and electrical communication, HVAC,
medical and industrial equipment and
roofing. Allegiance Crane is the full
service solution to get the job done safely,
efficiently, on schedule, and within
budget.
HOW DO YOU CHARACTERIZE THE FLORIDA
ECONOMY?
The Florida economy is coming back
strong, especially in the multi-family
sector.
HOW DO YOU CHARACTERIZE THE MARKET FOR
CRANES IN THE GEOGRAPHIC AREAS THAT YOU
SERVE?
Very diverse, from commercial to all types
of industry.
WHAT ABOUT THE TOWER CRANE MARKET?
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE IT?
Supply and demand is showing signs of
a comeback in certain regions. Pricing is
showing a slow return to acceptable rates.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT WORKING IN THIS
BUSINESS?
The people! Those we work with and
those we work for.
WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU AREN’T
WORKING?
That limited time is spent with my young
children and amazing wife.
■
Allegiance’s LTM 1130 and LTM 1100 were
used in a ribbon dancing performance at a
Liebherr open house event in Miami.
