Single-girder overhead cranes
Lighter-duty overhead travelling cranes — up to around 15 t SWL on typical spans. Under-slung variants for tight headroom.
UK manufactured
Overhead cranes, gantries and monorail systems.
Single- and double-girder overhead cranes, portable A-frame gantries, and under-slung or top-running monorail systems, engineered to your span, headroom and duty.
Somers Handling specialises in the full spectrum of electric overhead travelling crane design and supply including free-standing gantry structures, installation, testing and commissioning. Single girder, double girder, underslung and top running cranes up to 10 tonnes SWL capacity are available from our UK manufacturing facility in the West Midlands.
Somers Handling are experts in the provision of crane and monorail systems to the water industry which are predominantly for outdoor use, need to be corrosion resistant and designed with harsh environmental conditions in mind.
The flexible approach to design along with the robust documentation and control procedures in place make Somers Handling one of the preferred suppliers of cranes, gantries and lifting equipment to all types of industries including Nuclear and Aerospace.
Types and configurations
Cranes, gantries and monorails are supplied in the following common configurations. Bespoke variants are engineered to order.
Double-girder overhead cranes
Higher SWL and longer spans; suited to steel-mill, rail-workshop and heavy-fabrication duty.
Portable A-frame gantries
Wheeled or fixed A-frame gantries for maintenance, field-service and low-frequency lifting tasks.
Monorail systems
Under-slung or top-running monorails, including curved, branched and switched systems for process-line handling.
Bespoke crane packages
Specialist cranes — hot-metal, clean-room, radiation-shielded — engineered end-to-end including electrics and controls.
Technical capabilities
Standard capabilities below — higher capacities, longer spans and non-standard finishes available on request.
Standards
- BS EN 15011
- BS EN 13001
- LOLER 1998
- NORSOK
- DNV
- CE / UKCA
| Safe working load (SWL) | 500 kg – 10 t Higher capacities on request. |
|---|---|
| Span | 3 m – 35 m |
| Control | Pendant, cabin, radio remote |
| Standards | BS EN 15011, BS EN 13001, LOLER, NORSOK, DNV CE / UKCA marked. |
Industries
Where cranes, gantries and monorails are specified.
- SectorSteel
- SectorRail
- SectorAerospace
- SectorNuclear
- SectorConstruction
Cranes, gantries and monorails — frequently asked questions
How do I choose between single-girder and double-girder overhead cranes?
Single-girder is lighter, lower installed cost, and fits tight-headroom bays — it's the common choice up to around 15 tonnes on modest spans. Double-girder gives higher hook lift, longer spans and higher SWL, and handles heavier duty cycles. The right answer usually falls out of the span, SWL and duty trio.
Can you retrofit a crane into an existing building?
Yes — and we regularly do. It requires a structural survey of the host building to confirm the crane reactions can be supported, then the appropriate choice of top-running rails or under-slung track. Where the existing steel can't take the loads, free-standing runway structures can be introduced.
What's the typical lead time for a bespoke overhead crane?
Standard cranes ship in 10–14 weeks; bespoke packages typically 16–26 weeks including design, fabrication, full-load factory testing, commissioning and final sign-off. Longer lead times apply for specialist duty (hot-metal, nuclear, clean-room).
Do you supply the hoist as well as the crane?
Yes — hoists are specified and procured as part of the crane package, so the duty rating, wire-rope, motor and controls are all matched to the crane and the application.
Need cranes, gantries and monorails engineered to your application?
Send a short description of your load, environment and duty — a Somers engineer will respond within one working day.