85|RT serves workhorse role at Midwest contracting group

The Kelly Group of Decatur, Illinois, maintains a relationship with Link-Belt Cranes that goes back decades.

In his 41 years with the company, Kelly Group Crane Superintendent Ron McCoy said he’s worked with Link-Belts since the beginning. The reason is simple.

“I love Link-Belt cranes,” Ron said. “Link-Belt machines have always treated us good.”

Situated in the heart of Decatur’s industrial hub, the Kelly Group supplies cranes to multiple major manufacturing facilities within the area. These cranes are utilized to aid operations across these various sites and for loading and offloading steel as well as general lift work.

One of Kelly’s newest additions to its Link-Belt fleet is an 85|RT, Link-Belt’s 85-ton rough terrain crane. The 85|RT is noteworthy for its ability to lift a lot of weight while still traveling light. Ron said the machine is often utilized to lift heavy-duty truck components, some weighing up to 80,000 pounds.

“The 85|RT can pick a lot of weight, and we can haul it in one load. We can take it anywhere we want without tearing it apart,” Ron said. “For this reason, we use the 85|RT to complete single-day jobs, saving time and money.”

Kelly operator Samuel McCoy said the 85|RT has been a mainstay machine since the start of its rental period in 2023. In that time, he’s personally put over 1,500 hours on it.

“We love it,” Samuel said. “It’s my favorite hydraulic crane in our fleet.”

He added that he appreciates the crane for its ability to pick and carry as well as its impressive mobility. Because of the confined job sites that dominate the area, the 85|RT’s ability to operate in tight spaces is invaluable.

“Other cranes just don’t have that ability,” Samuel said.

The 85|RT completes daily pick and carry work, moving beams and loading trucks. And the machine’s standard camera package is a major plus, offering clear job site views when backing up and traversing the site.

Ron included that the crane’s reach generates lots of business.

“We often get calls to replace chain-drive motors and gear box components at local grain facilities, and the 85|RT is perfect for these jobs,” Ron said. “The 85|RT’s SmartFly simplifies these picks, with its user-friendly installation. It provides great capacities for up-and-over work.”

He said the small footprint and impressive lifting capabilities of the 85|RT have made it an obvious solution for countless types of work. At Kelly, the machine has made quite a name for itself.

“I like to tell everyone, ‘The 85|RT is a big crane in a little package,’” Ron said.

Along with being American designed and built, he said Link-Belt stands alone for its incredible customer service and parts servicing.

“Whenever we need anything, it gets dealt with fast,” Ron said. “Every time.”