Crane Index

RLB Crane Index® North America Q1 2021

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Taryn Harbert

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Taryn Harbert

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Crane Index , Market Research
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The RLB Crane Index® charts construction trends in cities throughout North America.

The first survey of 2021 reports an increase in cranes from our previous count; with the count increasing by 71 cranes. Of the 14 cities surveyed: seven experienced an increase; four are holding steady; and three saw significant decreases, ranging from -44% to -54%.

The crane count appears to have rebounded from its previous dip, exceeding its count from this time last year. We have seen tower cranes installed at residential and mixed-use projects increase to 69% of the overall count. The commercial sector has also seen an aggressive increase since our previous count.

A few highlights:

  • Cities seeing an increase in cranes include Boston, Calgary, Denver, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Toronto, and Washington D.C.
  • Cities holding steady in their crane counts include Chicago, New York City, Portland, and Seattle
  • Cities with a decrease in cranes include Las Vegas, Phoenix, and San Francisco
  • Toronto continues to be home to the majority of total cranes counted (43%), followed by Los Angeles (9%), Seattle (9%), and Washington D.C. (9%)