Gantry cranes are also known by other names such as portal, bridge or overhead cranes though they are all slightly different. As the name suggests, a gantry/portal crane is one that is built on top of a gantry. The gantry typically straddles a workspace or any object. Whereas gantries are usually wheeled to the work location, overhead cranes are fixed at specific locations that may include the roofs of buildings or walls. A gantry crane, alternately, may consist of a movable hoist, which by itself runs along a beam or rail. Some of the different types of gantries are briefly described below.

Portable gantries help to reach out to all corners of a building or workspace, to move or lift material, pull equipment and heavy machinery, and also in the disassembly of equipment for transport in service trucks. Adjustable gantries come with adjustable span height and tread. These are used on uneven floors and through aisles and doorways. For movement in a fixed route, track mounted gantries are used. Gantries that can be relocated are used for hire purposes as much as for those types of workspaces where the workflow tends to undergo frequent changes. Some of these cranes also take the form of container cranes mainly employed in container terminals. These gantries have the gantry rails and the supporting beam cantilevered in a manner that helps them to lift the containers from the quay and place them on a ship. (more…)

As anyone who works with lifting equipment will know, safety comes first. This is key across all areas of work and lifting operations, making sure that operatives, workers on other parts of the site and the general public will be well looked after and kept safe. For this reason, can used cranes be the better buy? In fact, they often can be, when all of the options are weighed up. In many ways, a quality used crane will not be any less safe than a brand new crane, as long as it is used and operated in the correct way and is only ever operated as intended.

The main defining reason why someone may choose a used crane is, of course, price. There is a lot to weigh up: will a used crane that is cheaper be lower quality? Will a used crane provide everything you need on site? Will it work reliably? When going about the purchasing process of a used crane in the correct way, all of these fears can be allayed and you can get suitable answers to any other questions you may have. This is because used cranes that are supplied correctly, that is, from reputable manufacturers who have the best interests of the lifting industry at heart, then there is nothing to worry about in terms of safety. You can easily obtain a used crane that works like new, for a much better price.

The key thing to note when buying a used crane is that it needs to come with all of its paperwork, otherwise it will not be safe and it will actually not be legal to use it. Here, LOLER and PUWER come into play, or Lifting Operation and Lifting Equipment Regulations and the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations, to give these directive their full name. These regulations set out the ways that lifting equipment should be used, but also how it should be looked after and maintained, including how often it should be given a full, complete inspection. These details will need to be retained about any crane that you might buy, and they will need to be passed onto you. This is the same for any lifting equipment that you might buy, be it a single girder crane, a jib crane, an overhead crane, a goliath crane, or any other kind at all. This is your assurance that the crane has been maintained as required by law, so you will be buying lifting equipment that is safe to use. It is also a legal requirement, so if very important. All suppliers that sell used cranes will be well versed in this and will supply all of the necessary paperwork as standard, but it never hurts to check before signing on the dotted line.

In short, used cranes can often be the better buy. They will have been used previously and any issues identified during inspections, so you will be fully aware of any faults and whether issues have been overcome. You can feel sure about buying a used crane and getting great value.