Industries
Data center construction crane services
The right crane for the lift, with NCCCO-certified operators and riggers for data center construction. Based in West Texas, working statewide.
Crane service for data center construction
Data centers need heavy lifts for power and cooling equipment, plus steel and precast for the buildings.
Lifts we take on include:
- Setting generators and transformers
- Setting chillers and rooftop equipment
- Setting switchgear and electrical skids
- Steel and precast erection
Generator, switchgear and chiller crane sets
Data center crane work follows the power and cooling. Generators, often on sub-base fuel tanks, are set on pads in long rows. Transformers and switchgear lineups go on housekeeping pads or into electrical rooms, sometimes in shipping sections that are bolted together after the set. Chillers, cooling towers and air handlers land on grade or on the roof. Many buildings go up first with precast or tilt-up walls and steel roof framing.
This equipment is expensive and built to tight tolerances, so it is rigged exactly as the manufacturer specifies, usually with spreader bars to keep slings off the enclosure. Shipments often carry tilt and shock indicators, and a vendor rep may be on hand for the set. Deliveries are sequenced with the electrical and mechanical contractors, and later phases often happen next to data halls that are already live.
- Review vendor rigging drawings, weights and center of gravity marks.
- Plan crane setups to cover each row of pads or the roof.
- Get site badging and gate times for the trucks and crew.
- Rig with spreader bars and set each unit on its pad.
- Trades confirm placement before the rigging comes off.
- Move to the next setup as deliveries arrive, then demob.
Crane and operator for data center construction
Every job goes out with the right crane for the lift, an NCCCO-certified operator and a rigger.
Data center sets run on delivery windows, so have the equipment and site details ready when you call dispatch.
- Equipment list with weights and rigging drawings
- Pad or roof layout for each unit
- Delivery schedule and truck staging area
- Site security, badging and escort rules
- Duct banks and buried utilities near crane setups
- Live areas or energized gear near the work
Rigging plans and safety plans for data center construction
Data center sites are crowded. Duct banks, fresh pads, other cranes and dozens of trades compete for space, and later phases put the crane next to energized equipment. The setup spot has to stay off buried duct banks and utilities, with mats to spread the load. Our rigging plans follow the vendor's lift points and weights, and our safety plans map out exclusion zones, energized areas and other trades.
A set that goes wrong costs more than the equipment, since a damaged generator or switchgear section can hold up commissioning. That is why the plan pins down crane position, rigging, tag lines and the landing for each piece before the first truck arrives. Wind limits matter too, because large, flat enclosures and chiller panels catch gusts on open Texas sites.
Book a crane
Call dispatch or send a lift request. Tell us the load, the location and the date.
FAQ
Questions about data center construction crane services
How are data center generators set by crane?
Most generators arrive in a weatherproof enclosure, sometimes on a sub-base fuel tank, and are picked from the lifting points the manufacturer provides, with a spreader bar to protect the enclosure. The crane lands each unit on its pad, and the electrical contractor confirms placement before the rigging comes off. Long rows may take more than one crane setup.
Why does switchgear need special rigging?
Switchgear is tall, narrow and top-heavy, with sensitive parts inside, so it is lifted only at the points the manufacturer marks, usually with a spreader bar to keep the slings straight. Many shipments carry tilt and shock indicators. The vendor's rigging instructions become part of the lift plan, so have them ready when you call.
Can you work on a data center campus with live halls?
Yes, with planning. Live campuses usually have badging, escorts, gate times and rules about where cranes can set up near energized gear and occupied buildings. Send us the site rules early. Our safety plan builds them in, along with exclusion zones and the swing path for each lift.
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