About Us - AKA Crane Hire Ltd

One crane started it all. Explore the machines, milestones and journey that built AKA Crane Hire.

Originally established as CNS Crane Hire, the business was taken on by Justin Gibbs, who continued the family legacy and transformed it into the AKA Crane Hire we know today. With over 30 years of industry experience, Justin’s passion, hard work and dedication have built AKA into a trusted crane hire company serving customers across the Midlands and beyond.

As the business has grown, Justin’s daughter, Lily Gibbs, has joined him as his second-in-command. With a background in Law, Lily brings a professional yet personable approach to the business, helping to keep AKA moving forward while maintaining the family values at its heart.

Together, Justin and Lily combine experience, modern thinking and a genuine commitment to their customers, delivering safe and reliable lifting solutions while retaining the personal touch that has always been at the heart of AKA Crane Hire. And with the next generation already on the horizon, AKA is proudly becoming three generations of family, hard work and dedication.

Our Team

Behind every successful lift is a great team. At AKA Crane Hire, we’re proud to have a small but mighty team of NPORS-certified operators and experienced slingers, bringing skill, reliability and professionalism to every job. Working together, our team takes pride in getting the job done safely, efficiently and to a high standard — whatever the lift, whatever the challenge.

Where it all began.

— The evolution of AKA Crane Hire —

The Original AKA

1998-2009
AKA’s very first machine was a Grove H1564 — Justin’s first crane operating under the AKA Crane Hire name. A little shabby, a little tired and certainly showing her age, but she was the machine that started it all.
A true workhorse, she played a huge part in establishing AKA Crane Hire and laying the foundations for the company we are today. The original AKA machine — and one we’ll always remember.
As the business began to grow, Justin soon expanded the fleet, adding a number of 20t and 25t Kato City cranes before eventually moving into larger machines, including a Grove 70TTS 870B. But as the fleet grew, the industry faced a difficult period, and the recession soon hit. This marked a challenging chapter for the business, but also paved the way for the next stage in AKA Crane Hire’s evolution.
The Rise of the Beans!

2009-PRESENT DAY
As the recession took hold and times became increasingly difficult, keeping the fleet running was becoming almost impossible. Justin made the difficult decision to sell his machines and take AKA Crane Hire in a new direction — towards a more mobile, practical and versatile style of crane. The Tadano proved to be the perfect choice.
Affectionately nicknamed “The Baked Bean” thanks to its bright orange paintwork, this compact and nimble crane could squeeze into even the tightest of spaces. More than just a crane, The Baked Bean became a true lifeline for AKA Crane Hire, helping the business weather one of its most challenging periods and keep moving forward.
A true superhero in every sense of the word, The Baked Bean marked the beginning of a new chapter for AKA Crane Hire — one that would ultimately pave the way for the diverse and capable fleet we have today.
The Fleet We Know Today

PRESENT DAY
Since the days of The Beans, AKA Crane Hire has gone from strength to strength. Justin hasn’t simply expanded the AKA fleet — he’s built it around versatility, capability and modern technology. From the 40-tonne Terex to our remote-controlled Klaas machines, AKA now has the equipment and flexibility to tackle an impressive range of lifting challenges.
But amongst all the modern machinery, The Beans still stand loud and proud in pride of place in the yard. Now resprayed in our signature white and grey, they remain a little piece of AKA’s history — a constant reminder of just how far the company has come. You may still spot our precious Beans out earning their keep to this day. They might not have the sheer presence of our bigger, newer machines, but they’ve certainly earned their place in AKA history. After all, they were some of the best decisions AKA Crane Hire ever made. Small in size. Big in history.