Overhead Gantry Cranes

RHC Lifting Limited specialises in providing a wide variety of overhead travelling gantry cranes, which can be designed to your exact requirements.


RHC Lifting offers an end-to-end service, covering the sale, design, delivery, installation and testing of gantry cranes, with after-sales support in overhead crane servicing, maintenance, and repairs.


Overhead gantries can be supplied for indoor or outdoor use as freestanding cranes or incorporated into a new or existing structure. Our expert design and sales team can create a bespoke lifting solution with customised heights, weights, and lifting speeds as needed. RHC Lifting can create customised solutions based on standardised SWF Krantechnik crane components, ensuring the appropriate components are selected while also offering the best price.


All of RHC Lifting’s overhead gantry crane solutions conform to UKCA standards. Explosion-proof lifting solutions are also available, with EX proof cranes available for EX zones 1 to 21 or 2 to 22. 

Single girder gantry cranes

A crane beam that has just been installed, with a scissor lift shown underneath

A single girder gantry crane is a cost-effective solution to lifting, that doesn’t compromise quality, performance or safety. Single girder cranes are often used for production, engineering, and in workshops, with the ability of the single beam to maximise space and still perform heavy lifts, with short spans of number up to 30 metres and lifting load capacity of up to 40t.


Electric-powered hoist options are available for heavier loads, and manual hoist options are available for lighter loads across shorter spans. RHC Lifting can create a solution using either a profile or box girder to suspend an SWF Krantechnik, SK chain hoist or a NOVA wire rope hoist. These can be controlled with a pendant or an AUTEC radio remote control.

Double girder gantry cranes

A crane beam being lifted into place inside a workshop using a mobile crane

A double girder gantry crane is an option suitable for medium to heavy loads. The two adjacently positioned beams offer more strength than a single girder crane, making them optimal for heavier lifts across larger areas.


RHC Lifting can create a solution using either a double I-beam profile girder or a double fabricated box, which can be utilised depending on your exact lifting requirements. Built using SWF Krantechnik crane components, the gantry crane can be integrated into new or existing structures and can cover a span of up to 40 metres, and a capacity of up to 250t. 


Double girder cranes can also be supplied with a fixed maintenance platform to allow safe and easy access to the hoist. This overhead travelling crane can then be controlled using either a pendent or an AUTEC radio remote solution.

Underslung gantry cranes

A single monorail beam crane with an SWF hoist attached

An underslung gantry crane, also known as an underhung crane or an under-running crane, is often used for heavy lifting when floor-mounted gantry steelwork is not feasible, or in areas with low headroom and complex building structures.


The underslung gantry crane offers a potential solution to lifting in minimal space areas. Gantry crane rails fitted directly onto the ceiling, instead of freestanding onto building columns. This creates a larger working area and means the hoist can get close to the end carriage and beam end to optimise this space. It is popular within warehouses, manufacturing, and aerospace industries.


Underslung gantry cranes come in single or multi-span, depending on the capacity of the lift and the lifting application. They are ideal when a latching crane system is required to transfer a load between different bays.


Using SWF Krantechnik crane components, RHC Lifting can design, manufacture and install underslung gantry cranes for capacities up to 12.5t and spans up to 28 metres. Hoist options are available depending on application and lift capacity.

Goliath and semi-goliath cranes

A large yellow goliath crane

Goliath and semi-goliath cranes (also known as portal cranes) are a type of overhead travelling gantry crane typically used for larger heavy lifting projects. When no gantry structure is available, it is not feasible, or the existing gantry structure is adequate, a floor-running goliath crane offers a versatile solution. Alternatively, when there is one gantry structure available, a semi-goliath crane can be the perfect overhead lifting solution, with one side of the crane floor running and the other attached to a fixed gantry.


The choice between the two is determined by the application and load capacity. Goliath cranes are larger and typically supported on four legs or wheels to compensate for the heavy loads, often used as lifting solutions at shipyards and large manufacturing facilities. Semi-goliath cranes are smaller and more compact, usually supporting a lower load capacity than the goliath – often used on construction sites and warehouses. RHC Lifting can offer bespoke goliath cranes designed for either indoor or outdoor operations. Like most RHC cranes, these are built with premium SWF Krantechnik components.

Crane Intelligence - Special Features

Crane Intelligence, available for all SWF Krantechnik cranes and hoists, offers optional smart features for electronic monitoring and control, enhancing both the safety and user-friendliness of crane operations. Explore the options below.

Load display

Gantry cranes can be supplied with a load display fitted on the underside of the crane, which gives the operator an indicator of the weight on the hook. The load displays have 4 digits, each 100mm high. The displays are configured during commissioning and can be set up to display kilograms to tonnes.

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Microspeed

Precise load positioning through reduced predefined maximum speeds for all hoists, trolleys, and crane movements. Prevention of unintentional acceleration for all hoist, trolley and crane movements from 1% to 99% of the maximum speed.


One of the benefits of micro speed is that it can work micro precisely in tight spaces. Increasing safety and protecting the speed helps the operator control the load, making it useful in heavy lifting assembly applications where very high accuracy is needed.

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Sway control

Sway control takes care of the crane operator’s speed command at the controls and brings the load to the required speed whilst maintaining sway caused by acceleration and deacceleration. The frequency-controlled hoist motors ensure stepless and smooth hoisting, monitoring all movement, lifting height and speed. Some of the benefits of sway control include the ability to use higher speeds and faster acceleration rates than before due to better positioning.

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Hoisting frequency converter

Selecting a frequency inverter for the hoisting process increases productivity, and also leads to an extended lifetime of motors and brakes as well as cost savings for the maintenance work and spare parts. 


The hoist works in a far more energy-efficient manner than a conventional contractor-controlled solution. Thanks to the separate fan the hoist can be operated at full load for a very long time at a slower hoisting speed. The encoder constantly regulates the rotating speed of the hoist motor thus guaranteeing the load is transported safely and accurately even at very low hoisting speeds (only 1% of the nominal speed).

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FAQs

  • How often does an overhead gantry crane need to be inspected?

    Inspections for heavy lifting equipment, such as hoists and overhead cranes, should be conducted at least once every 12 months in compliance with LOLER and PUWER regulations. In contrast, this frequency is only 6 months for lifting accessories and attachments. These periods may be shorter in arduous conditions, process applications and are dependent on the frequency of use.


    RHC Lifting can perform inspections and servicing on your overhead cranes lifting equipment, and can arrange maintenance schedules to ensure your equipment is safe and legal to use. To dicuss this further contact RHC's sales team.

  • Are overhead gantry cranes suitable for outdoor use?

    Gantry cranes can be used indoors or outdoors. However, cranes specifically designed for indoor use cannot be used outside, especially in rainy conditions.


    Please discuss with our sales team whether you are looking for an outdoor or indoor gantry crane (or both), and we can make sure that the appropriate rain and weather protections are included for both the hoist and the steelwork.

  • What is the difference between choosing a pendant or radio remote?

    The main difference between choosing a pendant or radio remote is that the pendant is tethered to the gantry crane whereas the radio remote is used wirelessly.



  • Would a chain hoist or wire rope hoist be the best option for me?

    Chain hoists are ideal for handling lighter loads and are versatile for both electric and manual applications. They are commonly used with single-girder gantry cranes. In contrast, wire rope hoists are specifically designed for electric operation, offering superior performance for heavier loads, continuous motion, and demanding conditions. This makes them a preferred choice for double-girder and goliath cranes.


    RHC Lifting can help you choose the perfect solution for your gantry crane based on your requirements. Explore our electric chain hoist and wire rope hoist pages to learn more about the best options for your gantry crane.

  • Does RHC Lifting offer a 24 hour breakdown service?

    We offer a 24-hour breakdown service of overhead gantry cranes and general lifting equipment for hundreds of businesses across the South of England area and the whole of the UK. For more information on this visit our servicing, breakdown and maintenance of lifting equipment page or email our sales team.

  • What is the warranty on RHC Lifting's gantry cranes?

    Our overhead gantry cranes come with a 24-month warranty on both parts and labor, supported by SWF Krantechnik.


Need more info? Contact our team at sales@rhclifting.com or send us an enquiry form here