15.04.2023

Robert Thomas ‘Bob’ Francis 1937 – 2023

We have heard the sad news that UK crane rental man Bob Francis, the founder of Bob Francis Cranes Hire in North Wales, has died. He passed away earlier this week at the age of 85.
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Bob Francis in 2006

Bob Francis, a native Welsh speaker, set up his crane hire company in 1981, formally incorporating the current business the following year. Prior to that he had worked in a variety of jobs, including the police force and even a spell as a private investigator. He was also a successful rally car driver, something he passed on this his son Mark and grandson Luke – who has been particularly successful.

When Francis started off in the crane rental business he regularly worked 19 hour days, operating cranes such as an eight tonne Hydrocon Marksman and later NCK Pennine crawler cranes. The business expanded in the 1980s on the back of the A55 road development which started off with the five year Conwy Tunnel project in 1985, for which the company was appointed as the sole provider of cranes for the project, the work was guaranteed and introduced Francis to ‘blue chip’ companies, such as the British Nuclear Group.
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Bob Francis with crane operator Neil Roberts and one of his first cranes, a Hydrocon Marksman

In an interview with Cranes & Access in 2006 said: “The geography is not brilliant here we have fish to the north and sheep to the south and neither want cranes! He had already begun handing over the day to day management of the business to his Mark, but the process moved up a step when he suffered a stroke in February 2009 from which he did bounce back with the help of his wife Hefin who he referred to as “she who must be obeyed.”
To see the 2006 interview with Bob Francis simply click here.

Bob Francis was one of the UK crane hire industry’s real characters and a true larger than life gentleman. We hope to be able to write up a more complete tribute to him in the coming days. And to add details of the funeral.
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Bob Francis at his desk with beloved pipe in hand