Columbus McKinnon #1017

Columbus McKinnon is an American manufacturer of equipment for lifting, moving, and positioning loads (electric and manual chain hoists, winches, crane systems, rigging). In the rental and show production industry it is best known for its CM-branded electric chain hoists (chain motors), particularly the CM Lodestar line, which has become the industry standard for rigging stage structures (trusses, lighting, and sound).

The company's roots trace back to 1875, when hoist manufacturing began in Chicago (Moore Manufacturing, later Chisholm Moore). In 1929, Columbus McKinnon Corporation was formed, combining two lines of business — chains and hoists. The CM Lodestar electric hoist has been produced since 1955, and from 1981 this model was adapted for the needs of the entertainment industry (the CM Entertainment Technology division, CM-ET). Today it is a publicly traded company (NASDAQ: CMCO) with a portfolio of nearly twenty brands; in 2025 it celebrated its 150th anniversary.