HOJ Innovations completed installation of a custom five-crane material-handling system in April 2025 at a gold-mining maintenance complex in Elko, Nevada. The system enables mechanics to remove and service engines and transmissions from heavy haul trucks with greater speed and safety.
Less than a year after Bonneville Builders broke ground on the new shop, the Utah-based integrator engineered, manufactured in-house, and erected the overhead package across five parallel service bays. The tiered configuration—ranging from 2-ton to 20-ton lifting capacity—was purpose-built so that each bay has the appropriate capacity and reach for its assigned task, reducing both capital cost and operating risk.
Elko County hosts one of the most productive gold districts in North America, and the mine’s 24/7 haul-truck fleet cannot afford extended downtime. By furnishing a remotely controlled crane network that positions suspended loads precisely where technicians need them, HOJ Innovations and Bonneville Builders aim to cut turnaround times, reduce manual handling, and raise safety margins on the shop floor.
Project Overview and Delivery
Work on the crane system began at HOJ’s Salt Lake City manufacturing plant, where engineers laid out five bridge spans to fit the new building envelope: two at 57 feet, two at 44 feet, and one at 40 feet. Completed assemblies were transported 230 miles west over Interstate 80, then assembled on-site under a subcontract with Bonneville Builders. Each crane is paired with wireless handheld controllers, allowing operators to stand clear of suspended engines that can weigh up to 20 short tons and to maintain unobstructed sightlines while maneuvering through crowded bays.
Technical Configuration
The centerpiece is a 20-ton unit over the heavy-duty bay reserved for complete engine drops. Flanking it are a 15-ton bridge for mid-range powertrain lifts and three lighter cranes—5 tons, 5 tons, and 2 tons respectively—for accessory work such as transmission swaps or component staging.
Jerry LeBaron, the project’s lead crane engineer at HOJ Innovations, described the design rationale: “You don’t want to over-specify every bay, but you also can’t compromise when a 16-cylinder diesel needs to come out. The solution was five different tools working as one system.”
Operational Features and Safety Enhancements
The wireless remote-control operation allows operators to stand at positions that provide superior sightlines to suspended loads. This capability lets technicians observe from the best vantage point, coordinate with ground crews more effectively, and avoid pinch points beneath tall engines while guiding components within millimeters of alignment.
Traditional pendant stations tether operators to the load path. Wireless systems enable them to step aside and maintain clear visual contact with both the load and surrounding floor conditions, reducing physical strain and enhancing overall safety during critical maintenance phases.
Engineering Approach
Project participants note that the multimillion-dollar investment reflects a broader trend toward customized, facility-specific lifting solutions in the mining sector. Mine maintenance buildings often face spatial constraints—whether from retrofits with limited headroom or new construction designed to minimize capital costs. By designing cranes to exact clearances and capacities required rather than purchasing standardized equipment, operators can free up aisle space, lower structural steel loads, and reduce long-term energy consumption.
In the Elko project, fabrication presented only half the challenge. The cranes had to interface with a service facility designed for 400-ton rigid-frame trucks that tower 25 feet high and measure 40 feet long. To keep ceiling height—and therefore heating costs—under control, engineers used low-headroom hoists and slim bridge girders while still achieving the lifting capacity demanded by engine and transmission work.
Installation crews faced a tight commissioning window. Mine planners scheduled the first haul-truck overhaul for early May, leaving less than three weeks to align runways, energize electrical systems, and test each wireless remote. According to Barchart, the cranes were handed over on schedule, and the mine reports that initial lifts have met or exceeded positioning accuracy requirements.
HOJ Innovations credits close coordination with Bonneville Builders for on-time delivery. “Because we designed and built everything in-house, we could tweak girder dimensions as soon as new building drawings arrived, rather than waiting for a third-party fabricator,” LeBaron said. “That flexibility saved critical days in the schedule.”
Long-Term Impact
Maintenance supervisors expect the crane network to extend component life. Controlled vertical lifts reduce side-loading on shafts and housings, while precision placement minimizes accidental impacts. Over the life of a $400,000 diesel engine, even small reductions in handling damage can translate into six-figure savings.
Company Background
HOJ Innovations operates as a comprehensive material-handling solutions provider with a six-decade operational history spanning from its 1964 founding by Henning Hoj in Salt Lake City. The employee-owned organization currently maintains a workforce of approximately 200 employees distributed across Utah and Idaho locations. The company’s project portfolio encompasses more than 100,000 installed systems nationwide and internationally.
Beyond single-girder bridge cranes, the company manufactures double-girder configurations, underhung systems, gantry cranes, jib cranes, monorail installations, and custom hoisting solutions integrated with software and ongoing service support.
Industry Outlook
Industry analysts note that the Elko project underscores a wider push toward ergonomics and operator safety in heavy-industry maintenance. Wireless remotes, variable-frequency drives, and load-monitoring sensors are rapidly becoming standard specifications, even for mid-tier operations. As mines pursue higher equipment availability targets, demand for customized crane solutions is expected to grow, particularly in regions like the Great Basin where ore grades remain strong but operating margins depend on efficiency.
For HOJ Innovations, the Nevada installation serves as a proof point that its vertically integrated model can meet the mining sector’s stringent delivery timelines. If the five-crane system continues to cut truck downtime as projected, similar multi-bay packages could become the template for future rebuild centers across the West.
Sources
- https://www.barchart.com/story/news/36461986/hoj-innovations-delivers-five-crane-system-for-nevada-gold-mine-maintenance-operations
