CEI Crane & Rigging Partners with Local Non-profit, Habitat for Humanity

For more than 15 years, CEI Crane & Rigging has donated its lifting services to Habitat for Humanity East Central Ohio. The local nonprofit seeks to eliminate poverty housing by giving families the opportunity to build and purchase decent homes with an affordable, zero-interest mortgage. 

“It’s truly incredible,” said Cory Bevis, project manager for Habitat. “They donate their crane services with every house, and we average about 15 new houses a year. The financial and time savings—they help us out so much. You’re almost not able to put a monetary value on it.”

For CEI Owner Brian Selinsky and his family, the work with Habitat began as a labor of love. In 2001, the company first volunteered to help build a home in remembrance of Selinsky’s brother, Michael, the former president of CEI who passed away earlier that year.

Over the years, the company’s involvement has grown—now to more than 200 homes. During construction, CEI sends an 8-ton Grove industrial crane and operator to lift the roof trusses onto homes.

“It’s not something we would ask volunteers to do because of the safety concerns,” Bevis said.

“We would have to carry each one of those up a ladder and drag it across the house to get it in place. Whereas [CEI] can come in, and we can buddle a whole bunch of trusses together. They lift them up with the crane, and we get them set. What would take us six hours, we can do in about 45 minutes.”

Selinsky said the work is a team effort throughout the company.

“Just about every one of our operators has been involved at one time or another,” he said. “It just depends on our schedule who goes out at that particular time, but I think they all look forward to volunteering.”

This year, CEI assisted with 13 home builds. Selinsky said it’s rewarding work, and he hopes to continue the partnership with Habitat for many years to come.

“[Habitat] makes such a difference,” he said. “For our part, it’s a small way for us to give back to our community.”

Cranes Lifting CEI Cranes Lift Roof Truss for Habitat for Humanityg Trusses for Habitat for Humanity