With a young fleet and four decades of reliable service, King Lifting remains a trusted lifting partner for generations
A family business since 1981, King Lifting is a private company committed to honesty, reliability and safety in every aspect of its operations. With multiple depots across the UK and Europe, the company boasts one of the UK’s most advanced and sustainable fleets of lifting equipment, offering everything from all-terrain, self-erecting tower and crawler cranes to plant movement equipment. King Lifting’s teams are highly skilled, rigorously trained and always place the customer at the heart of its service. Safety and reliability are its top priorities, integral to every facet of the business, and the company is well-equipped to handle heavy lifting and plant movement projects of any size.
Tristan King, Managing Director at King Lifting, shares insights into the company’s early days, as well as how its experience helps the company to lead the way for the future of the industry. 
“The business was founded in 1981 by its current chairman, Bob King. At the time, he was serving in the forces and gained experience working with mobile cranes. After leaving the military, he worked for numerous crane rental companies in the South West. After one of those companies went into administration, he launched King Lifting, initially operating as a broker business because he did not have any crane assets. From its humble beginnings in Bristol, the company expanded by acquiring cranes and a company in Swindon. It has since grown both organically and through acquisitions, now covering the UK and parts of Europe. King Lifting operates from depots in Bristol, Yeovil, Southampton, Cardiff, West London, East London, Birmingham, and Wakefield, as well as a site in Dublin which serves the European market. Currently, the company employs between 300 and 320 staff and has an annual turnover of £50 million to £60 million. Over the past 12 years, King Lifting has experienced steady growth, with a significant acceleration in the last four years, which is driven by demand across various sectors,” he begins.
This growth was partly driven by King Lifting’s presence in diverse sectors, within which the company delivers a wide range of services. “Our core service offering is mobile crane rental, which represents one of our primary divisions. From this foundation, we have several subdivisions, including a plant mechanical movement division that operates across Europe. This division specialises in mechanical plant installations, consisting of electrical equipment, air conditioning units, and chiller units. At the moment, one of our key focus areas is data centre installations across Europe and the UK, forming another division. Additionally, we have a transport division that handles heavy goods transport, primarily ensuring our internal logistics needs are met, making us self-sufficient. Last but not least, our heavy crane engineering department specialises in larger-scale projects requiring bespoke engineering solutions tailored to specific lifting requirements. Infrastructure is a key market for us at the moment, with involvement in projects such as HS2, Hinkley Point, and Sizewell,” Tristan elaborates.
Advanced equipment
Through its involvement in several sectors, King Lifting is well-equipped to recognise shifting priorities regarding sustainability and to implement solutions that align with these changes. “Part of our sustainability strategy focuses on operating a young fleet, averaging just 4.8 years in age. We also operate the highest number of Stage IV and V mobile cranes in the UK, which substantially contributes to achieving our target to reduce our carbon footprint. Operating such a young fleet enhances our sustainability efforts, particularly in high-profile projects that emphasise emission compliance. In addition to our fleet, we have implemented various initiatives, including the use of hybrid and electric vehicles for our company cars. As a business, we drive many policies that promote sustainability, and our 
next potential cycle focus will be the integration of hybrid and robotic technologies into our fleet. However, our progress is partly dependent on manufacturers’ ability to provide fully functional mobile cranes equipped with these technologies. Nonetheless, we strive to lead the way in supporting key projects with advanced equipment,” says Tristan.
Nurturing new talent
Alongside its commitment to sustainable operations, King Lifting is passionate about training the next generation through its CPCS and NPORS accredited training academy. “Over the last three years, we have had a significant drive in training. We offer a comprehensive five-year apprenticeship programme, designed to develop and train people through key stages of learning, culminating in various qualifications. The programme begins with trainees earning their slinger signaller ticket, before completing their crane operator’s license, crane supervisor certification, and ultimately an appointed person designation. There are 44 training modules that we aim to complete over the five-year period, though the programme is flexible and tailored to each individual’s experience and capabilities. In the past two years, we have successfully trained 68 mobile operators, so the results of our training programme have been positive. Through this initiative, we are bringing and nurturing a new generation of talent in the industry, which is crucial for its future. The training academy plays a vital role in our business, particularly in supporting the development of our staff and industry. What makes it stand out is the high standard of wide-reaching training from individuals who know and understand the past, present and future of the industry. By tailoring bespoke courses to both individuals and companies alike, the academy is unique in what it can do. Across not only lifting services, but also other categories, it encompasses the King Lifting ethos of prioritising safety and lifting expectations of what can be achieved.” Tristan ends.
From a single start-up in Bristol to a trusted international partner, King Lifting’s story is one of growth, reliability and vision, and its next chapter promises to raise the industry even higher. With a young fleet, a commitment to safety and sustainability and a relentless focus on investing in people and their training, King Lifting isn’t just keeping the pace: it is setting the standard.