The cranes lifting Quebec鈥檚 renewable energy infrastructure into place don鈥檛 get second chances. Neither do the companies operating them. So when Quebec鈥檚 most challenging projects need cranes that work in mountain terrain, mile after mile from the nearest service center, they call GUAY. And GUAY calls Liebherr.
Picture this: Five wind farm construction sites scattered across Quebec鈥檚 mountainous terrain. Turbine components weighing hundreds of tons waiting to be lifted into position. Access roads that barely qualify as roads. Weather windows that open and close without warning. And your crane goes down.
This scenario isn鈥檛 just stressful, it鈥檚 expensive. Every day of downtime cascades into penalties, crew idle time and projects that slip further behind schedule. In remote mountain locations, a simple repair can take days when the nearest service center is hours away.
When that鈥檚 your reality, you need one thing: Equipment that works when you need it, backed by service that shows up when you need it. That鈥檚 why GUAY Inc., Canada鈥檚 largest crane rental company, put their Liebherr fleet at the core of their most ambitious operations, making reliability and after-sales service their top criteria when investing in 38 Liebherr cranes.
鈥淩eliability and service after sales,鈥� said Guillaume Gagnon, executive vice president of GUAY Inc. 鈥淭hose were our main criteria when choosing Liebherr. When you鈥檙e working in remote mountain locations installing wind turbines, you need equipment you can count on.鈥�
Gagnon isn鈥檛 making empty claims. GUAY has been installing and repairing wind turbines for 20 years. The company鈥檚 commitment to Liebherr speaks volumes. The lineup represents some of the most advanced lifting technology available today. 38 machines in their fleet, with 14 more on order for 2026. Models ranging from the compact LTC 1050-3.1 for tight access work to the mighty 1,200-ton LTM 11200-9.1 for heavy lifting. Three LR 1700-1.0 crawler cranes (with two more coming), and two LG 1800-1.0 lattice boom cranes on order.
鈥淓very crane in our fleet represents our word to clients,鈥� Gagnon said. 鈥淲hen GUAY shows up, the work gets done. Liebherr equipment helps us deliver every time.鈥�
A Legacy of Smart Decisions
GUAY鈥檚 story began in 1964, when entrepreneur Jean-Marc Baronet bought a struggling equipment business and turned it into Machineries Provinciales Inc. The company sold heavy machinery, including cranes, but Baronet noticed that many customers wanted to rent equipment before deciding to buy it.
To meet that need, he started a separate rental company called Armand Guay Inc., named after his brother-in-law. At the time, regulations didn鈥檛 allow one company to both sell and rent cranes, so the move was smart and strategic. The rental business quickly grew, and by 1988, it became known as GUAY Inc., a name now recognized across North America.
Today, GUAY is made up of 700 employees, 550 cranes and more than 1,200 pieces of equipment, including trucks, trailers and support vehicles. That makes GUAY the largest crane rental company in Canada.
GUAY specializes in both operated and non-operated crane rentals. Whether it鈥檚 lifting bridge beams, placing concrete panels or installing massive wind turbines, GUAY provides the equipment and experience to get the job done safely and efficiently.
In an industry where every lift matters, GUAY鈥檚 success rests on trust. Trust in its people, its expertise and the equipment it runs. Backed by the performance of Liebherr cranes, that trust stands tall across Qu茅bec鈥檚 toughest job sites, proving that true lifting power comes from experience, innovation and reliability.
With its combination of deep project experience, the largest crane fleet in Canada, and a strategic partnership with Liebherr, the company that Jean-Marc Baronet built from a struggling acquisition six decades ago is ready to help power Quebec鈥檚 sustainable energy future.
If you鈥檙e managing construction projects, specifying equipment or making procurement decisions, consider what GUAY鈥檚 choice tells you. The company with Canada鈥檚 largest crane fleet, 60 years of operational experience, and two decades of wind turbine expertise chose Liebherr. Not for two or three units. For 38 and counting.