Putting you in the spotlight
7 September 2015At Cranes Today, we believe the most important thing we do is giving a voice to everyone in the lifting industry. We aim to make sure that our coverage includes not just the biggest crane manufacturers and their customers, but local hire firms and dealers, as well as smaller manufacturers, equipment and component suppliers. New features we've introduced recently will help us include more of these companies.
All niche magazines like ours face challenges to covering the full scope of their industry. We have comparitively small teams of writers, working not just on their own articles, but on everything else that is involved in getting a magazine laid out, printed and out to our readers. We have to be smart about how we source material for the magazine.
One way smaller magazines (and national newspapers) make the most of limited resources is to use material submitted to us in press releases. That means we can cover many of the most interesting stories in the sector, without having to source every article, and every comment, from scratch. But relying on press releases alone, as some magazines do, can mean that only the largest companies, with big communications departments, are included.
We encourage everyone in the industry to keep us updated on their news, even if they don't feel they have the staff or experience to provide full press releases on spec. Some of our most interesting stories recently have come from companies who came to us with just an interesting picture or deal, and discussed what information we needed to turn that into an article. Our guide at cranestodaymagazine.com/ submissions is designed to help companies develop these leads.
One of the most successful columns in the magazine, in terms of giving a voice to everyone in the industry, has been our In Our Fleet column, at the back of the magazine. Written in the words of individual crane owners, these pieces have profiled rental companies from Peru to Lebanon, Cyprus to Nigeria. Since 2006, we've included over 100 firms.
Over the last year, we've expanded the scope of our backpage profiles, to include dealers and, this month, smaller specialist crane manufacturers, who may not be regularly featured in our news and feature pages.
We've also been working to ensure that equipment and component suppliers are regularly featured in the magazine. Each month, our equipment news section rounds up the latest news on accessories and spare parts. New component profiles and technical guidance pieces help to explain the role of suppliers to crane builders.
As I write this comment, I am working on developing our feature list for 2016. Part of my focus will be looking at some of these equipment and component suppliers who do not receive regular coverage. In the first few issues of next year, we'll have features on controls, rigging and attachments, and rope. I'll welcome your advice on other areas we should cover, or companies we should include.
Will North Editor
wnorth@cranestodaymagazine.com
