EXHIBIT 99.3
 
                         COLUMBUS MCKINNON CORPORATION
 
                               OFFER TO EXCHANGE
                   8 1/2% SENIOR SUBORDINATED NOTES DUE 2008
                          FOR ANY AND ALL OUTSTANDING
                   8 1/2% SENIOR SUBORDINATED NOTES DUE 2008
 
                                                                         , 1998
 
TO SECURITIES DEALERS, COMMERCIAL BANKS,
COMPANY COMPANIES AND OTHER NOMINEES:
 
  Columbus McKinnon Corporation (the "Company") is offering (the "Exchange
Offer"), upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the enclosed
Prospectus, dated      , 1998 (as the same may be amended or supplemented from
time to time, the "Prospectus"), and the enclosed Letter of Transmittal (the
"Letter of Transmittal"), to exchange $1,000 principal amount of its 8 1/2%
Senior Subordinated Notes due 2008 (the "Exchange Notes"), which exchange has
been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities
Act"), for each $1,000 principal amount of its outstanding 8 1/2% Senior
Subordinated Notes due 2008 (the "Private Notes"), of which $200,000,000
aggregate principal amount was issued and sold on March 31, 1998 in a
transaction exempt from registration under the Securities Act and is
outstanding on the date hereof. The Company will accept for exchange any and
all Private Notes properly tendered according to the terms of the Prospectus
and the Letter of Transmittal. Consummation of the Exchange Offer is subject
to certain conditions described in the Prospectus.
 
  WE ARE ASKING YOU TO CONTACT YOUR CLIENTS FOR WHOM YOU HOLD PRIVATE
SECURITIES REGISTERED IN YOUR NAME OR IN THE NAME OF YOUR NOMINEE OR WHO HOLD
PRIVATE SECURITIES REGISTERED IN THEIR OWN NAMES.
 
  The Company will not pay any fees or commissions to any broker or dealer or
other person for soliciting tenders of Private Notes pursuant to the Exchange
Offer. You will, however, be reimbursed by the Company for customary mailing
and handling expenses incurred by you in forwarding any of the enclosed
materials to your clients. The Company will pay all transfer taxes, if any,
applicable to the tender of Private Notes to it or its order, except as
otherwise provided in the Prospectus and the Letter of Transmittal.
 
  Enclosed are copies of the following documents:
 
  1. A form of letter which you may send, as a cover letter to accompany the
     Prospectus and related materials, to your clients for whose accounts you
     hold Private Notes registered in your name or the name of your nominee,
     with space provided for obtaining the clients' instructions with regard
     to the Exchange Offer.
 
  2. The Prospectus.
 
  3. The Letter of Transmittal for your use in connection with the tender of
     Private Notes and for the information of your clients.
 
  4. A form of Notice of Guaranteed Delivery.
 
  5. Guidelines for Certification of Taxpayer Identification Number on
     Substitute Form W-9.
 
  Your prompt action is requested. The Exchange Offer will expire at 5:00
P.M., New York City time, on      , 1998, unless the Exchange Offer is
extended by the Company. The time at which the Exchange Offer expires is
referred to as the "Expiration Date." Tendered Private Notes may be withdrawn,
subject to the procedures described in the Prospectus, at any time prior to
5:00 P.M. on the Expiration Date.
 
  To participate in the Exchange Offer, certificates for Private Notes, or a
timely confirmation of a book-entry transfer of such Private Notes into the
Exchange Agent's account at the Depository Trust Company, together

 
with a duly executed and properly completed Letter of Transmittal or facsimile
thereof or Agent's Message in lieu thereof, with any required signature
guarantees, and any other required documents, must be received by the Exchange
Agent by the Expiration Date as indicated in the Letter of Transmittal and the
Prospectus.
 
  If holders of the Private Notes wish to tender, but it is impracticable for
them to forward their Private Notes prior to the Expiration Date or to comply
with the book-entry transfer procedures on a timely basis, a tender may be
effected by following the guaranteed delivery procedures described in the
Prospectus under "The Exchange Offer--Guaranteed Delivery Procedures" and the
Letter of Transmittal.
 
  Additional copies of the enclosed material may be obtained from the Exchange
Agent, State Street Bank and Trust Company, Two International Place, Corporate
Trust Window, 4th Floor, Boston, Massachusetts 02110, or by calling (617) 664-
5587 directing your inquiries to Corporate Trust Operations.
 
                                          Very truly yours,
 
                                          Columbus McKinnon Corporation
 
  NOTHING HEREIN OR IN THE ENCLOSED DOCUMENTS SHALL CONSTITUTE YOU OR ANY
PERSON AS AN AGENT OF THE COMPANY OR THE EXCHANGE AGENT, OR AUTHORIZE YOU OR
ANY OTHER PERSON TO MAKE ANY STATEMENTS ON BEHALF OF EITHER OF THEM WITH
RESPECT TO THE EXCHANGE OFFER, EXCEPT FOR STATEMENTS EXPRESSLY MADE IN THE
PROSPECTUS AND THE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.
 
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