History

Founded in Winona, Minnesota by the mechanically inclined Royal G. Thern and his wife, Lucille, during the post World War II boom, Thern Incorporated began with a handful of basic winches and other miscellaneous tools.

After the war, Royal and Lucille settled in the small, flourishing town of Winona on the banks of the Mississippi river where they created a corn sheller, lever operated chain hoist, cordwood saw frame and a differential chain hoist. These innovative products were the foundation for the lifting, pulling and positioning solutions the company manufactures today.

More than sixty years later, Thern has built a solid reputation for manufacturing the most dependable, powerful and durable solutions for moving loads of all sizes. Our extensive selection of off-the-shelf models and ability to design custom solutions, is why customers in markets around the world choose Thern winches and cranes for applications around the world.

RELIABLE WINCHES & CRANES

MANUFACTURED BY A NAME YOU TRUST

Thern, Inc. is a family-owned winch and crane manufacturer based in the Midwest – a place where hard work, honesty and common sense continue to be core values. Durability, reliability, quality and outstanding service are taken very seriously at Thern.  With a strong engineering staff and reputation for exceptional lead times, Thern can handle even the most challenging projects.

With a history spanning over 65 years, this little Midwest company has provided amazing solutions to some very BIG projects all over the world. From building the winch that lowers the Time’s Square Ball every New Year’s Eve, Thern products also played a part in the newly completed One World Trade Center; the Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge; the Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Pad; the world’s largest solar array project Ivanpah, located in the Mojave Desert; many Gulf Coast oil rig operations; the world’s first stadium reduction system at BC Place in Vancouver; and the world’s largest ferris wheel, the High Roller, recently completed in Las Vegas, NV. 

SUPERIOR QUALITY IS DESIGNED
INTO EVERYTHING WE MANUFACTURE

Any manufacturer can say they build a better crane or winch. Only Thern can back that claim up with a steadfast reputation for dependable products chosen time and again by companies worldwide.

Thern Knows Your Application.

Thern has more than 60 years of experience manufacturing heavy duty lifting pulling and positioning equipment for a broad range of industries, from aerospace to oil and gas, mining to wastewater, manufacturing to construction and beyond. No matter how diverse the applications, one thing connects them all – Thern moves it all from big to small.

Thern products are manufactured to the highest industrial and quality standards because your application is our application. We also understand that some jobs require a tool that isn’t available right off the shelf. That’s why Thern employs an experienced engineering and technical sales staff that can consult, design and make modifications as necessary to provide the best possible product for your application.

Thern Is Synonymous With Quality.

Every product we manufacture must meet our strict quality standards or it doesn’t carry the Thern name. Our quality management system is certified to ISO 9001/2008 standards. All inspection tools are maintained and calibrated regularly as required under the ISO standard.

All new products are rigorously tested to ensure performance and durability. Thern has the ability to test products with load capacities up to 50,000 lbs. and line speeds of up to 200 fpm. Test and inspection certificates are available upon request.

Whether you need to lift, pull or position a load, Thern cranes and winches are built to get the job done today and for years to come. Contact Thern today for more information about our quality assurance and testing or to receive a free quote.