LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Building the big resorts on the strip takes massive cranes to get the job done. Tons of steel and material needs to be lifted up several stories.
In this week's Nevada Built, anchor Todd Quinones shows us what it takes to have a booming business that's elevating Las Vegas.
Getting those huge construction cranes to the job site requires a special form of transportation.
FAMILY BUSINESS
"So this big steel thing helps move other big steel things," says Todd. "Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Because they can't move on their own," says Crystal Dieleman of TransWorld Manufacturing.
Crystal is running the family business.
"This is really a family run business, really going back to your grandfather," says Todd. "Yes, it is. Yeah, he started the first crane company in 1946," says Crystal.
"Here in Las Vegas? And he came here from Holland to work on the Hoover Dam," says Todd. "Yes, yes. And then he bought a small crane and here we are," says Crystal.
TransWorld builds a lot of what's called, boom dollies, specialized trailers meant to move those huge cranes you see at large construction projects. Their clients are located around the U.S. and Canada.
"So the crane would go on top of this piece here. Is that what I'm looking?" asks Todd. "Yes. The crane's boom comes and then sets on top of that," says Crystal.
"These are massive cranes. I mean, with massive loads," says Todd. "Yeah. So boom dollies are used on cranes between maybe 150 tons up to 500," says Crystal.
The roots of TransWorld date back to her grandfather Jake, who started it as a crane company. Crystal has his hoisting license from 1935 on her office wall. She then took over the company after her late father.
BELLAGIO & RIO
"You want talk about being part of a company that literally built Vegas as we know, this picture kind of tells that story," says Todd. "Right. Yeah, that's us. We had tower cranes on the Bellagio and at the Rio Masquerade tower at the same time," says Crystal.
Today inside their shop just south of Allegiant Stadium, TransWorld Manufacturing also fabricates all kinds of steel projects. Like this modular pod that is on its way to Disneyland.
It's an example of how Crystal continues to transform the Nevada Built company, which now has 12 employees.
"What is it like to have taken the family reins?" asks Todd. "Oh, I mean, it's great. But you know, it's a lot of pressure. Everyone had done a lot of great things before me," says Crystal.
It appears she's well on her way to continuing that legacy. TransWorld is about to debut an even larger trailer. One that can transport extremely enormous cranes that weigh 800 tons. That's roughly about the same weight as 100 school buses.
"It's just like a massive, it's a massive trailer that carries a massive boom," says Crystal.
