Brothers Luke and Paul Lonergan have set up Empire Cranes in Syracuse New York as a full service crane sales, rental and service business across northeastern USA.
Empire Cranes was set up in the wake of the collapse of Syracuse Equipment Company, owned by their father Thomas, where the brothers used to work.
Syracuse Equipment Company was dissolved in December 2001 in the wake of the financial difficulties of Syracuse Equipment Leasing Company, owned by Larry Lonergan, brother of Thomas. Larry Lonergan’s company filed for Chapter 11 protection and was then forced into Chapter 7 and dissolved, said Luke Lonergan. He explained that Thomas’s Syracuse Equipment Company depended on Larry’s Syracuse Equipment Leasing Company for financing.
Empire Crane is representing Broderson and Riggers Manufacturing and is also selling Terex cranes. Luke Lonergan said the new company had sold 15 cranes in the first half of the year and was chasing leads aggressively to establish the new business.
Thomas Lonergan also works at his sons’ new company but the boys are running the show now. Luke, aged 37 is vice president while Paul, a year younger, is president. Luke said that his uncle, Larry Lonergan, would be allowed to have nothing to do with the new enterprise.
