NEWS RELEASE

                                                                        CONTACT:
                                                                 Karen L. Howard
                              Vice President-Finance and Chief Financial Officer
                                                   Columbus McKinnon Corporation
                                                            Phone:  716-689-5550
                                                        karen.howard@cmworks.com


       COLUMBUS MCKINNON COMPLETES SALE OF LARCO INDUSTRIAL SERVICES, LTD.

Amherst, New York, March 5, 2007 - Columbus McKinnon Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCO),
a leading  designer,  manufacturer and marketer of material  handling  products,
today  announced  the sale of  Larco  Industrial  Services,  Ltd.  (Larco),  the
Canadian  subsidiary of the Company's  wholly owned subsidiary Crane Equipment &
Service,  Inc (CES).  Larco,  a  manufacturer  and  servicer  of large  capacity
overhead cranes based in Stoney Creek,  Ontario,  was sold to Canadian  Overhead
Handling Inc. (COH) of Montreal, Quebec. The net proceeds of the Larco sale will
be used for debt reduction and general operating purposes.

The sale  will not have a  material  impact  on  Columbus  McKinnon's  financial
results for its fiscal 2007 fourth quarter which ends on March 31, 2007. For the
latest 12 months,  Larco  contributed  revenue of approximately  $10 million and
operated near breakeven.

Timothy T. Tevens,  Columbus  McKinnon  President  and Chief  Executive  Officer
commented, "Given its narrowly focused product line and market, Larco was not an
essential  strategic fit with our CES business which is focused on growth in the
United  States and other global  markets.  Larco will be better  positioned  for
growth  under its new owners based on their  leadership  position in Canada as a
manufacturer of large specialty cranes."

COH will  continue to operate the business as Larco  Industrial  Services,  Ltd.
with  facilities  in Stoney  Creek and  Cambridge,  Ontario  and plans to retain
Larco's  employees.  Under its new  ownership,  Larco will  continue to be a key
distributor of the various Columbus McKinnon brand products in Southern Ontario.

ABOUT COLUMBUS MCKINNON
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Columbus McKinnon is a leading worldwide designer,  manufacturer and marketer of
material  handling  products,   systems  and  services,  which  efficiently  and
ergonomically  move,  lift,  position or secure  material.  Key products include
hoists,  cranes,  chain and  forged  attachments.  The  Company  is  focused  on
commercial  and  industrial  applications  that  require  the safety and quality
provided  by  its  superior  design  and  engineering  know-how.   Comprehensive
information   on   Columbus   McKinnon   is   available   on  its  web  site  at
HTTP://WWW.CMWORKS.COM.
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SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT

This news release contains  "forward-looking  statements"  within the meaning of
the Private Securities  Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements  include,
but are not limited to, statements  concerning future revenue and earnings,  and
involve  known and unknown  risks,  uncertainties  and other  factors that could
cause the actual  results of the Company to differ  materially  from the results
expressed  or  implied  by such  statements,  including  changes  in  accounting
regulations and other factors disclosed in the Company's  periodic reports filed
with the Securities and Exchange  Commission.  The Company assumes no obligation
to update the forward-looking information contained in this release.



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