Crane Carrier Supplier H.O. Penn Renovates Holtsville Location
October 28, 2016 – H.O. Penn has completed the expansion and renovation of its parts, service, and retail departments. The 5,000-sq.-ft. renovated space is located on the first floor of the company’s 42,000-sq.-ft., two-story building in Holtsville, N.Y. Stalco Construction served as construction manager, and Rosebery Architectural Studio was the architect for the project.
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H.O. Penn facility in Holtsville, N.Y.
Established in 1923, H.O. Penn sells, rents, and services Crane Carrier trucks. The company also is one of the oldest Caterpillar dealers in the nation. In addition, H.O. Penn sells and services Metso crushers and screeners. The firm operates six full-service facilities, including two located in Holtsville, N.Y. on Long Island; the Bronx, N.Y.; Bloomingburg, N.Y. and Poughkeepsie, N.Y. in the Lower Hudson Valley; and Newington, CT. Its staff totals more than 400 employees.
Founded in 1953, Crane Carrier Co. is a leader in the production of custom-engineered, heavy-duty Class 8, diesel and alternate fueled truck chassis. Crane Carrier manufacturers custom vehicles for heavy truck, refuse collection, mobile drill rig, terminal tractors, OEM, and various other on- and off-highway vocational applications.
According to Jack Rosebery, principal of Rosebery Architectural Studio: “The old layout was very inefficient. It lacked a defined reception area, the retail section was hidden, and it didn’t allow for proper customer traffic control. Our design work focused on improving the functionality of the space, giving it a modern and open feel, and highlighting the firm’s affiliation with Caterpillar through branding, color, and materials selection.”
“Stalco accelerated the project’s construction schedule to limit disruptions to H.O. Penn’s operations. For example, the service department was completely renovated during one weekend,” explained Kevin Harney, Stalco's principal.
“The construction team had to address several logistical challenges. For example, the service department, in charge of shipments, is crucial to the operations of the company. The service office could not be shut down during the regular operation hours. To accommodate H.O. Penn, Stalco performed demolition on Friday evening and completed the renovation and finishes of the entire service department on Saturday and Sunday. The department resumed its operations on Monday morning without any interruptions,” says Jason Vasquez, Stalco’s project manager.
Following the renovation, visitors enter the retail and parts departments through the company’s main reception lobby, which received a new reception desk, finishes, and a stone feature wall. The new retail section is highly visible. It displays branded Caterpillar accessories, parts, and toys.
“The renovation has significantly improved the quality of our customers’ experience and allowed us to upgrade the point of sale area. Equally important, the renovation improved the work environment for our personnel,” said Liza Katz, H.O. Penn's general parts manager.
The stone tile wall, 9 ft high by12 ft wide, is installed behind the reception desk and serves as a background for a prominently displayed company logo. MSI International supplied the split face tile ledger panel of charcoal grey quartzite tiles in Coal Canyon color.
The scope of work in the parts department included the demolition of the preexisting offices and retail area, and the installation of a new storefront-type entrance, retail section, customer support counter, and a new office for the department manager. The renovated sales floor houses seven desks for sales staff and a private manager’s office. The finishes include textured vinyl floors in the parts and service departments and carpet tile flooring in the manager’s office.
