few years into owning his own well-respected construction company, Tyler Loken saw an opportunity—the chance to rise up, so to speak.

Loken Crane, Rigging and Transport LLC, or LCRT, came to life and has lent a lifting hand in Alaska—around the Kenai Peninsula, Southcentral, and the Interior—ever since.

“There is always a big, educated guess that exists when branching out,” says Loken. “But I always knew our own crane services would allow our construction company to do things safer and faster. Also, there weren’t a lot of these specific services being provided for other contractors, so with a love for hydraulics and guidance from above, LCRT was created.”

“It’s a really big investment and one with a lot of liability,” he adds.

Loken Construction LLC currently employs about twenty-five people. Another five employees work for LCRT. The company features certified new and late model equipment and certified skilled operators. The operators are experienced with hoisting for many different vocations and have specialty rigging available to make any lift a successful one.

“We knew we couldn’t just do lifts for us, although some contractors have that luxury,” says Loken. “We had to work with other people. It’s been all kinds of things. We’ve lifted boats and set artwork for the [Anchorage Museum] to something as small as lifting a piece of wood that may be worth a few hundred dollars—priceless projects to just a simple beam.”

“I was able to contact Loken and they were able to move some stuff around to have the 80-ton machine on the jobsite the next day,” says Yaskus. “[It] really got us out of a jam and kept the project on schedule.”

Loken lauds the LCRT team for its ability to adjust, react, and lead when called upon.

“Thirty minutes to [a job] planned four months out,” says Loken of the company’s flexibility. “It might be a different emergency situation—you might be surprised.”

Loken counts on LCRT General Manager Jerry Manley to maneuver the operations at any point on any day. He’s constantly amazed by his team’s prowess and productivity.

“Jerry does all the scheduling, all the site visits, he’s the lead operator and ends up doing a lot of jobs I don’t even know about. Just in one day, we may have several picks with two or three machines out,” Loken says.

But he knows each task will be done by his team safely and masterfully. So do LCRT’s customers.

“I can recall a tower stack [Loken] assisted on in Homer back in 2017,” says Matt Nevin, Steelhead Communications Inc.’s Alaska market manager. “We had a 150-foot monopole tower with difficult access to the site. It was very heavy, and we were running out of stick to set the location.

“With some smooth operating, [LCRT] gave us the inches we needed to make it happen, and we couldn’t have done it without them. Working with these guys is always a pleasure,” he adds

“When we partner with Loken Crane, it feels like we’re working with members of our own team,” says Garret Travers, Superior Mechanical Services general manager. “[Jerry Manley] provides us with quick estimates on the front end, often providing input on how we could be more economical with logistics and selecting the right equipment.

“Loken has helped us win business and satisfy customers. Most importantly, it shares an unequivocal focus on getting the job done safely,” he adds.

On the LCRT website, Loken displays the following quote: “The cool part [of a job] is the challenge.”

Loken says the company’s crane operators and crew members relish working with different people on different projects each workday. Each job is unique and the challenges are constant, but always welcome.