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): MARCH 2, 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 March 2, 2004, the registrant issued a press release  announcing the
sale of its Lister  division.  Substantially  all assets and  liabilities of the
Lister division were sold to Washington  Chain & Supply on February 27, 2004 for
$2.5  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 March 2, 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:  MARCH 2, 2004
        -------------


<PAGE>


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


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

     99.1                       Press Release dated March 2, 2004
[{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "filename": "listersale.txt", "description": "SALE OF LISTER DIVISION", "secsgml_size_bytes": 3134}]
[{"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": "04648671"}, "business-address": {"street1": "140 JOHN JAMES AUDUBON PARKWAY", "city": "AMHERST", "state": "NY", "zip": "14428", "phone": "7166895405"}}, {"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": "04648674"}, "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": "04648673"}, "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": "04648672"}, "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": "04648675"}, "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): MARCH 2, 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 March 2, 2004, the registrant issued a press release  announcing the
sale of its Lister  division.  Substantially  all assets and  liabilities of the
Lister division were sold to Washington  Chain & Supply on February 27, 2004 for
$2.5  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 March 2, 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:  MARCH 2, 2004
        -------------
EXHIBIT INDEX

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

     99.1                       Press Release dated March 2, 2004