About

Built on Tradition. Driven by Experience. Committed to Safety.

Proudly serving Southern New Jersey since 1985. At Shaw Crane Service, our story is one of hard work, family values, and a commitment to getting the job done right.

Our story

What began in 1985 with founder and operator Rip Shaw has grown into a trusted name in crane services throughout Cape May County and Southern New Jersey.

For more than four decades, Shaw Crane Service built its reputation as a family-owned and operated business, providing dependable crane services to local contractors, builders, businesses, and homeowners. Through the years, the Shaw family established a legacy rooted in personal service, reliability, and an understanding of the unique demands of construction along the Jersey Shore.

From residential building projects and modular home installations to structural steel erection and specialized lifting operations, Shaw Crane Service became a familiar name on jobsites throughout the region.

A new chapter, built on the same values

After more than 40 years under family ownership, Shaw Crane Service entered a new chapter when the company was acquired by Kevin and Michelle Mitchell of Mitchell Welding & Iron Works — another longstanding, family-owned business with deep roots in Cape May County. The connection between the two businesses is a natural one.

Today, the Mitchell family continues that tradition, combining generations of hands-on experience with modern equipment, fabrication technology, and evolving construction methods.

For decades, structural steel and crane services have gone hand in hand. Whether erecting steel framing, installing heavy beams, setting prefabricated building components, or completing complex construction projects, both trades depend on precision, planning, and skilled professionals.

Bringing Shaw Crane Service under the Mitchell’s ownership unites two businesses that share the same fundamental values: hard work, family tradition, quality workmanship, and a commitment to the customers and communities they serve.

While Shaw Crane Service proudly carries forward the name and legacy established by Rip Shaw, the company is positioned for continued growth with the support, experience, and resources of Mitchell Welding & Iron Works.

Experience you can trust. Safety you can count on.

At Shaw Crane Service, safety is more than a requirement — it is the foundation of every lifting operation.

All Shaw Crane Service crane operators are CCO certified through the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO).

CCO certification is a nationally recognized professional credential that requires operators to demonstrate their knowledge and practical skills through rigorous written and hands-on examinations. It evaluates the essentials of crane operation, including:

• Load charts and lifting capacities
• Equipment setup and crane stability
• Operating procedures
• Recognizing potential jobsite hazards

For our customers, this means your lifting project is entrusted to operators who have met established industry certification standards.

Our commitment to safety goes beyond certification. Every lift requires careful consideration of the equipment, load weight, working radius, ground conditions, and surrounding environment. We believe preparation, communication, and attention to detail are just as important as the lifting equipment itself. Whether we’re setting a single structural beam or coordinating a more involved construction lift, our goal is always the same: to perform the work safely, efficiently, and professionally.

The right equipment for the job

Today, Shaw Crane Service continues to provide professional, operator-assisted crane services for a wide variety of residential, commercial, and industrial projects — structural steel erection, modular home setting, rooftop equipment installations, construction material placement, heavy machinery handling, and specialized lifting operations.

From compact Spyder Cranes designed for restricted-access locations to truck-mounted hydraulic cranes and larger lifting equipment, our focus is on matching the right crane and experienced operator to each project’s specific requirements. No two lifts are exactly alike, so we evaluate jobsite access, reach, load weight, and setup requirements to determine the most practical solution.

Two family legacies. One commitment to excellence.

Although the ownership has changed, the values that built Shaw Crane Service remain firmly in place.

We are proud of the foundation Rip Shaw established in 1985 and the decades of trust the Shaw family earned throughout the community. We are equally proud to carry that legacy forward under the leadership of Kevin and Michelle Mitchell, whose own family business has been part of Southern New Jersey’s construction industry since 1951.

Together, these histories represent more than a collection of equipment and years in business. They represent generations of relationships, craftsmanship, experience, and pride in serving our local community.

As Shaw Crane Service looks to the future, we remain committed to investing in our equipment, supporting skilled crane operators, maintaining high safety standards, and providing the dependable service our customers have come to expect.

The name has a proud history. The future is built on that foundation.

Let us handle the heavy lifting

From residential construction and modular home installations to commercial steel erection and specialized lifts, Shaw Crane Service is ready to help make your next project a success.

Family Roots. Certified Operators. Trusted Lifting Solutions.
Serving Cape May County and Southern New Jersey since 1985.