SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                                    FORM 8-K
                                 CURRENT REPORT

                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       the Securities Exchange Act of 1934



       Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): JANUARY 29, 2004
                                                         ----------------


                          COLUMBUS MCKINNON CORPORATION
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


                                    NEW YORK
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)



              0-27618                                16-0547600
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      (Commission File Number)            (IRS Employer Identification No.)



   140 JOHN JAMES AUDUBON PARKWAY, AMHERST, NEW YORK               14228-1197
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       (Address of principal executive offices)                    (Zip Code)




        Registrant's telephone number including area code: (716) 689-5400
                                                           --------------



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)


<PAGE>


Item 2.  ACQUISITION OR DISPOSITION OF ASSETS

         On January 29, 2004, the registrant  issued a press release  announcing
the sale of its Positech  division.  Substantially all assets and liabilities of
the Positech  division  were sold to a management  group on January 24, 2004 for
$2.0  million in cash.  The press  release  is  annexed as Exhibit  99.1 to this
Current Report on Form 8-K.


Item 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.

(c) Exhibits.


EXHIBIT NUMBER             DESCRIPTION
--------------             -----------

99.1                       Press Release dated January 29, 2004






<PAGE>




                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
the  registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.





                                          COLUMBUS MCKINNON CORPORATION


                                          By:   /S/ ROBERT L. MONTGOMERY, JR.
                                                --------------------------------
                                          Name:  Robert L. Montgomery, Jr.
                                          Title: Executive Vice President


Dated:  JANUARY 29, 2004
        ----------------




<PAGE>





                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


EXHIBIT NUMBER                  DESCRIPTION
--------------                  -----------

     99.1                       Press Release dated January 29, 2004
[{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "filename": "posisale.txt", "description": "SALE OF POSITECH DIVISION", "secsgml_size_bytes": 3163}]
[{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "AUDUBON WEST INC", "cik": "0001062623", "irs-number": "430978181", "state-of-incorporation": "MO", "fiscal-year-end": "0331"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "333-53759-05", "film-number": "04563493"}, "business-address": {"street1": "140 JOHN JAMES AUDUBON PARKWAY", "city": "AMHERST", "state": "NY", "zip": "19228-1197", "phone": "7166895400"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "AUTOMATIC SYSTEMS INC", "date-changed": "19980527"}}, {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "YALE INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS INC", "cik": "0001062624", "irs-number": "710585582", "state-of-incorporation": "MO", "fiscal-year-end": "0331"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "333-53759-06", "film-number": "04563492"}, "business-address": {"street1": "140 JOHN JAMES AUDUBON PARKWAY", "city": "AMHERST", "state": "NY", "zip": "19228-1197", "phone": "7166895400"}}, {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "CRANE EQUIPMENT & SERVICE INC", "cik": "0001263400", "irs-number": "731515437", "state-of-incorporation": "OK", "fiscal-year-end": "0331"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "333-109730-02", "film-number": "04563491"}, "business-address": {"street1": "140 JOHN JAMES AUDUBON PARKWAY", "city": "AMHERST", "state": "NY", "zip": "14428", "phone": "7166895405"}}, {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "AUDUBON EUROPE S A R L", "cik": "0001263401", "irs-number": "421542436", "fiscal-year-end": "0331"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "333-109730-04", "film-number": "04563489"}, "business-address": {"street1": "140 JOHN JAMES AUDUBON PARKWAY", "city": "AMHERST", "state": "NY", "zip": "14428", "phone": "7166895405"}}, {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "COLUMBUS MCKINNON CORP", "cik": "0001005229", "assigned-sic": "3531", "irs-number": "160547600", "state-of-incorporation": "NY", "fiscal-year-end": "0331"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-27618", "film-number": "04563488"}, "business-address": {"street1": "140 JOHN JAMES AUDUBON PKWY", "city": "AMHERST", "state": "NY", "zip": "14228-1197", "phone": "7166895400"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "140 JOHN JAMES AUDUBON PARKWAY", "city": "AMHERST", "state": "NY", "zip": "14228-1197"}}]
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                                    FORM 8-K
                                 CURRENT REPORT

                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

       Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): JANUARY 29, 2004
                                                         ----------------

                          COLUMBUS MCKINNON CORPORATION
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                                    NEW YORK
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)

              0-27618                                16-0547600
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      (Commission File Number)            (IRS Employer Identification No.)

   140 JOHN JAMES AUDUBON PARKWAY, AMHERST, NEW YORK               14228-1197
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       (Address of principal executive offices)                    (Zip Code)

        Registrant's telephone number including area code: (716) 689-5400
                                                           --------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
Item 2.  ACQUISITION OR DISPOSITION OF ASSETS

         On January 29, 2004, the registrant  issued a press release  announcing
the sale of its Positech  division.  Substantially all assets and liabilities of
the Positech  division  were sold to a management  group on January 24, 2004 for
$2.0  million in cash.  The press  release  is  annexed as Exhibit  99.1 to this
Current Report on Form 8-K.

Item 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.

(c) Exhibits.

EXHIBIT NUMBER             DESCRIPTION
--------------             -----------

99.1                       Press Release dated January 29, 2004
SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
the  registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                                          COLUMBUS MCKINNON CORPORATION

                                          By:   /S/ ROBERT L. MONTGOMERY, JR.
                                                --------------------------------
                                          Name:  Robert L. Montgomery, Jr.
                                          Title: Executive Vice President

Dated:  JANUARY 29, 2004
        ----------------
EXHIBIT INDEX

EXHIBIT NUMBER                  DESCRIPTION
--------------                  -----------

     99.1                       Press Release dated January 29, 2004