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                                                                    Exhibit 23.1

                         Consent of Independent Auditors

         We consent to the incorporation by reference in (a) the Registration
Statement (Form S-8 No. 333-3212) pertaining to the Columbus McKinnon
Corporation 1995 Incentive Stock Option Plan, the Columbus McKinnon Corporation
Non-Qualified Stock Option Plan, the Columbus McKinnon Corporation Restricted
Stock Plan and the Columbus McKinnon Corporation Employee Stock Ownership Plan
Restatement Effective April 1, 1989 of Columbus McKinnon Corporation and (b) the
Registration Statement (Form S-8 No. 333-81719) pertaining to the Options
assumed by Columbus McKinnon Corporation originally granted under the GL
International, Inc. 1997 Stock Option Plan and the Larco Industrial Services
Ltd. 1997 Stock Option Plan of our report dated June 6, 2002, with respect to
the consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedule of
Columbus McKinnon Corporation included in the Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the
year ended March 31, 2002.

                                                     /s/ Ernst & Young LLP

Buffalo, New York
June 11, 2002


