FAQs
About Cranston Machinery
The Cranston Family Companies have operated in the Northwest corner of the United States dating back to 1923. The corporate office and primary manufacturing facilities are in Oak Grove, Oregon. The Cranston Family Companies are responsible for many significant industry firsts as well as a host of patented innovations for the pulp, paper, lumber, synthetic fiber and transportation industry.
Cranston employs a wide range of skills, including: Administration, Accounting, Sales, Engineering, Welding, Machining, Painting, Mechanical, and Field Technicians.
The company’s progression of product development started with automating wire strapping, which is an element of Pulp Bale Handling and Packaging (Pulp industry), the global transportation of pulp bales (Cargo Handling industry), and Pulper Feed and Roll Handling Systems (Paper Industry).
About Products and Services
Cranston can always be reached at the corporate office:
sales@cranston-machinery.com
parts@cranston-machinery.com
service@cranston-machinery.com
phone 001 503 654-7751
Cranston technicians and engineers have been roaming the planet for decades. The tech team provides technical consultation for Audits, Installations, Start-ups, Upgrades, Repairs, and Training. When necessary, Engineers can be brought on-site for evaluations and machinery audits.
Cranston Technical Consultants and Engineers do not travel with tools or provide utility vehicles; the team provides consultation services and training.
Send your request to parts@cranston-machinery.com. The team is quick to respond. You will need your machine serial number, the wanted part numbers, and the method of shipping.
Cranston maintains an extensive inventory of commonly used parts to support its global user base. It also has an extensive record of user manuals.
With a machine serial number and a part number, our parts team can help you address your needs.
Most parts that are in inventory ship within a few days. Rare parts dating back to the 1960’s are available but require a corresponding schedule.
– All machined steel parts that are finished with blackening have stamped or etched part numbers and are protected with rust preventative and then tagged with Cranston’s part number. Small parts are labeled and bagged.
– Painted parts with machined features are also coated with rust preventative, bagged, and tagged.
– Fully painted pieces are shipped dry, bagged, and tagged.
– Machinery is shipped fully assembled when practical. Bare metal surfaces or blackened steel modules are coated with rust preventative. Larger machines may require partial disassembly to meet standard container or truck trailer limitations. Use of Containers are standard for International deliveries, curtain or draw trailers are standard for truck transportation. Cranston discourages the use of flat beds and tarping.
– Small parts are most often shipped via UPS, FedEx, DHL, or other similar commercial carriers. Carrier packets or small cardboard boxes are used. Either the customer or the Cranston accounts can be used.
– Midsize orders are packaged in heavy-duty cardboard boxes or smaller wooden crates.
– Large shipments over 68kg/150 Lbs. or 2540mm/100” length will either be secured on pallets and covered with heavy plastic or packaged in wooden crates (product dependent). These types of orders normally ship LTL (less than full load) with a first-rate carrier chosen by Cranston through Echo Logistics, or Cranston can work with specified freight forwarders. For the highest level of service and security, Cranston prefers to make arrangements based upon CIP destination delivery (Incoterms 2020); arranging the routing, freight, and insurance. Alternatively, the customer can decide for FCA shipments (Incoterms 2020), taking responsibility for arrangements and insurance; delivery is then at Cranston’s dock, documented by the customer’s bill of lading or waybill.
Notes
– All wood used for international skids and crates are IPPC certified and stamped.
– All packages include traditional packing slips, including the customer order number, inside and outside of the box.
– Special packaging and marking services are available upon request.
About Custom Tools
– The Excalibur Wire Cutter system is a battery-operated portable wire cutting system that can cut single or multiple hi-tensile steel wire found in recycling centers, synthetic fiber plants and paper mills with a single pull of the trigger. Various barrel lengths are available to address common concerns about whipping wire being cut under pressure.
– The PWC Wire Cutter system is a corded wire cutting system offering similar capabilities to the Excalibur**. Various handle styles and barrel lengths + a host of accessories optimize fixed dewiring stations.
The two Cranston cutter systems may be powered in different ways, but both systems can cut multiple strands of 11awg/3mm hi-tensile steel wire with a singe pull of the trigger. Tests using your samples can be arranged.
The PWC system has a head for cutting flat steel banding. Tests using your samples can be arranged.
About the Produce Measurement Gauge
The Cranston Produce Measuring Gauge requires only one hand to operate, by merely sliding the thumb tab to tighten the band around the item, then reading the diameter at the pointer (Imperial and Metric on opposing sides).
Although the Cranston Produce Measuring Gauge’s lineage comes from measuring the diameter of Apples and Pears in the orchard, monitoring growth rates from blossom to harvest, today it’s used on all sorts of fruits, vegetables, pipes, hoses, and fittings. It is used during the packaging season for sizing and grading inspection, etc. This tool can measure virtually anything that will fit in its band.
About Cargo Lifting Hooks and Beams
– Unihook: Manually attached, pneumatically unlocked. Recommended for multiple wires, narrow webs, links, and rings. Rated for 3 MT SWL.
– Weblatch: Manually attached, pneumatically or manually unlocked. Recommended for wide flat webbing slings (up 50 4-1/4”/ 108mm), wire rope slings, flat trap, rope. Rated
for 5 or 10 MT SWL.
– Unilift: Manually attached and unlocked. Recommended with flat webbing slings (up to 1-1/2”/ 38mm), flat strap, rope, or multiple strand wire. Rated for 2 MT SWL.
– Hooks can be purchased separately or as part of a chain assembly.
In early 2025, Cranston completed the introduction of new versions of its Unihooks and Weblatches. These new versions can unlock at the very low pressure of 1.3bar / 20PSI.
Earlier models unlocked at 2.6bar / 40psi. The expectation for this development was to extend tank life, which was exceeded. When mixing new and old hooks, the new hooks
can still be operated at the higher pressure.
There are many variables to consider, but this example shows a practical comparison using a 5.6 CM / 200cuft tank filled to 151bar / 200psi:
a. 105,263 Unihook cycles running the hooks at 2.6bar / 40psi.
b. 166,666 Unihook cycles running the hooks at 1.3bar / 20PSI.
Yes, Cranston commonly sells a Pneumatic release kit. The kit usually includes a fabricated steel box that holds air/nitrogen tanks, regulators, valves, plumbing, a remote-control release, and batteries. The box can be welded or bolted onto your frame.
All hooks are load tested and certified at the factory. Certifications are shipped with the hooks. All lifting beams are load tested and certified.
The blue dot is an optional RFID or Geo tag that has been inserted into a precision-drilled hole. These tags can be identified by a typical cell phone, which allows interface to a database. Location and maintenance data are then available.
The corrosion-resistant hook is the most popular due to reduced maintenance. It is suitable for a wide range of lifting medium, however, if the primary use is flat steel banding, often used in cargo lifting, the wear-resistant hooks offer longer life.
