By Ken Datzman
TITUSVILLE — If you see a towering crane at a development site in your community, that is a sign of construction and growth. Think economic progress.
Durable goods orders, the stock market, and building permits are some of the metrics used to gauge the health of the economy.
Cranes can be seen as wonders of the modern world, the type of machinery that is costly and takes extensive training and skill in order to operate safely.
One family–owned business, which has invested in Brevard County with a new facility, has grown to become one of the largest integrated service crane companies in the U.S. construction industry.
Its services include rigging, specialized lifting, and heavy hauling, as well as crane rental and sales. The Southern California company has grown from one startup entrepreneur to more than 900 employees on payroll today, with 16 offices in eight states, including Florida.
“When you include craft labor, crane operators, and ironworkers, we can get up to 3,000 people, depending on the projects we have going,” said M. Scott Bragg, president and chief executive officer of Bragg Companies Inc., which is comprised of Bragg Crane Service, Heavy Transport Inc., and Bragg Crane and Rigging.
His firm does a lot of work for the government, including for NASA at Kennedy Space Center.
Bragg Companies, which marked its 75th year in business in 2021, is known for its work on complex construction projects, from dismantling nuclear power plants to building rocket launch pads to shoring up freeways after major earthquakes.
Now the company is better positioning itself to grow in this state, where construction has surged in recent years, with its new Florida Headquarters building on Chaffee Drive.
“The history of the Bragg Companies is an amazing story,” said Teena Adam, branch manager of her firm’s newly opened Florida Headquarters.
“This is a family–operated business and it’s one of the things I love most about the company. As an employee, you are treated like a family member. The Bragg family has fostered an exceptional work environment. There is a camaraderie among employees and team members. We are excited to be in Titusville and are looking forward to serving clients throughout the state,” said Adam.
Bragg Companies, headquartered in Long Beach, California, was started in 1946 by Jim Bragg, who left Arkansas in the midst of the Great Depression and made his way to California.
He settled in Long Beach and began working in the crane and rigging industry, mostly for businesses that specialized in oil field work.
“Bragg has been successful for more than 75 years, and that speaks for itself,” said Titusville Mayor Daniel Diesel, who was a longtime coach and science teacher at Titusville High School. “They have a great program compared to having just one great season. I’m honored they are in Titusville."
Continue reading on brevardbusinessnews.com.