Introducing the redesigned NexStar HC-6 and NexStar EHC-6, a new standard for 6-Series Service Cranes 

TULSA, OK, May 7, 2026. Auto Crane, a Ramsey Industries brand and one of America’s longest-standing manufacturers of truck-mounted service cranes, announces the official market launch of its re-engineered 6-Series truck-mounted service cranes: the NexStar HC-6 hydraulic service crane and the NexStar EHC-6 electric/hydraulic service crane. These are not incremental updates. They are a comprehensive re-engineering of the 6-Series cranes that utility, construction, mining, and field service fleets have built their service truck specifications around for years. 

Both models are lighter. Both are simpler to maintain. And fleet managers have a choice of power systems: hydraulic with the NexStar HC-6, or electric/hydraulic operation with the NexStar EHC-6, both now re-engineered to a higher standard. 

A New Standard for the 6-Series Service Crane 

The re-engineering of the NexStar HC-6 and NexStar EHC-6 was driven by a straightforward premise: the best service crane is not the one that looks strongest on a spec sheet. It is the one that keeps more revenue-earning trucks in service over the life of the asset, costs less to maintain, and gives operators the safety and control they need in the field every day. 

Both cranes now feature 60 fewer components than their predecessors. Sixty fewer things to service. Sixty fewer things to diagnose. Sixty fewer things to replace. The NexStar HC-6 has been re-engineered to 1,200 lb, a reduction of 225 lb from the previous model. The NexStar EHC-6 comes in at 1,210 lb, a reduction of 460 lb. In fleet operations, every pound removed from the crane is a pound returned to the truck as usable payload capacity. 

The NexStar HC-6: The Crane Your Fleet Already Relies On, Made Significantly Better 

The NexStar HC-6 is a hydraulic telescoping service crane with a maximum lifting capacity of 6,000 lbs. It is the model that high-volume fleet operations have depended on across utility, construction, and field service for years. The re-engineered version keeps everything that made it dependable and removes what was adding weight and complexity without adding value. 

Lighter materials. Fewer components. Stronger than the model it replaces. Expanded capacity where it matters most. The NexStar HC-6 is the same crane your fleet trusts, built to a higher standard than the one it replaces. For fleets currently operating the previous HC-6 or EHC-6, Auto Crane dealers are prepared to support the part number transition and ensure continuity of supply. 

The NexStar system delivers proportional control of multiple functions simultaneously and independently. The NexStar receiver displays load-monitoring and diagnostic readouts in plain English with no codes to look up and no specialized training required to interpret the display. Level sensors prevent operation in unsafe, unlevel conditions. Overload protection stops crane function automatically at 100% load capacity. The result is a crane that is smarter to operate, easier to diagnose, and safer in the hands of every operator on the fleet. 

The NexStar EHC-6: Electric/Hydraulic Service Crane. Full 6-Series Performance. 

The NexStar EHC-6 continues Auto Crane’s electric/hydraulic service crane offering in the 6-Series, now re-engineered to be significantly lighter and simpler to maintain. The crane operates through an electrically actuated hydraulic pump powered by the truck chassis. No separate engine required to run the crane. Minimal noise on the job site. 

For fleet managers running trucks in urban corridors, on regulated worksites, or under sustainability and emissions compliance requirements, the NexStar EHC-6 delivers the full 6-Series lifting capability Auto Crane is known for in a package that is now more than 400 lb lighter than the model it replaces. The weight reduction alone expands what fleet operators can carry on the trucks where the NexStar EHC-6 is installed. 

Electric controls, load sensors, and safety interlocks are standard. The NexStar intelligent control system is available on the EHC-6, bringing the same plain-English diagnostics, overload protection, and level sensing that NexStar delivers across the full 6-Series. 

Fits the Truck You Already Run 

Both the NexStar HC-6 and NexStar EHC-6 are compatible with a wide range of service truck bodies. The Auto Crane engineering team works directly with upfitters, dealers, and fleet managers to confirm compatibility and conform crane specifications to the body’s capacity requirements. Contact your authorized dealer to verify fit for your specific body and chassis configuration. Both are purpose-built service cranes designed to maximize payload capacity and minimize maintenance burden on the trucks they mount to. 

For fleets that run multiple body brands across different branches or regions, both cranes offer a single crane standard that travels across the fleet without locking procurement into a closed system. 

“The NexStar HC-6 and NexStar EHC-6 represent what we have been working toward: cranes that are genuinely better to own and operate over time, not just better on a spec sheet,” said Chris Jenkins, Brand Manager at Auto Crane. “We took significant weight out of both models, made the HC-6 stronger than before, and reduced the component count, and significantly improved the NexStar EHC-6 for fleets that need electric/hydraulic crane operation without running a separate engine. And because our cranes are designed to be the most adaptable service crane for any body configuration, fleet managers get all of that without changing how they already work. These cranes fit your operation, not the other way around.” 

Designed and Built in Tulsa, Oklahoma 

Auto Crane has designed and manufactured its service cranes at its Tulsa, Oklahoma facility since 1958. Both the NexStar HC-6 and NexStar EHC-6 are engineered, assembled, and quality-tested in Tulsa by a team with decades of crane-specific expertise. The Tulsa facility has undergone recent investment in manufacturing capacity and automation as part of Auto Crane’s commitment to domestic production, product quality, and long-term supply reliability for its dealer network and fleet customers across the United States and internationally. 

Availability 

The NexStar HC-6 hydraulic service crane and NexStar EHC-6 electric/hydraulic service crane are available now through the Auto Crane dealer network across the United States. Fleets transitioning from the previous HC-6 or EHC-6 models should contact their authorized dealer for part number transition guidance and cutover timeline information. 

[Download the HC-6 and EHC-6 product brochure — pending final.] 

View the HC-6 product page: https://www.autocrane.com/product/nw-hc-6/ 

View the EHC-6 product page: https://www.autocrane.com/product/nw-ehc-6/ 

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About Ramsey Industries 

Ramsey Industries is an American-owned industrial manufacturer headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the parent company of Auto Crane, Ramsey Winch, and Eskridge. Through its portfolio of specialized brands, Ramsey Industries designs and manufactures truck-mounted service cranes, hydraulic and electric winches, and power transmission equipment for the energy, construction, mining, utility, and transportation industries. All three brands are designed, engineered, and built in the United States. Auto Crane, a Ramsey Industries brand, has manufactured service cranes in Tulsa, Oklahoma since 1958 and helps fleet managers keep more revenue-earning trucks in service by lowering downtime risk and lifetime fleet cost. 

For more information, visit autocrane.com or contact your authorized Auto Crane dealer.