All Categories
History
This section provides an overview for gantry cranes as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 5 gantry crane manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked gantry crane companies as of May, 2025: 1.American Equipment, 2.Spanco, Inc., 3.EMH, Inc.
Table of Contents
Categories Related to Gantry Cranes
A Gantry Crane is a machine designed for lifting, moving, and lowering heavy loads.
It features a structure resembling legs at both ends of the overhead beam (girder) of an overhead crane, traveling on rails laid on the ground or elevated on the floor. Some gantry cranes use wheels, like tires, for movement, eliminating the need for rails.
While its appearance is reminiscent of a gate, hence the name "Gantry Crane," it is also referred to as "bridge crane" or simply "gantry." The term "gantry" refers to a structure with a horizontal beam supported by multiple legs.
The upper part of the gantry crane has a girder spanning both sides of the legs, and a trolley, called a "hoist," is attached to the girder to lift and move loads. Various types of gantry cranes exist based on the structure of this trolley. Gantry cranes are widely used in machine workshops for transporting machinery and parts and have diverse applications, including container loading and unloading at docks.
The application of a gantry crane varies widely based on its lifting capacity and functionality, making it a versatile machine in terms of size and purpose.
While portable versions exist that can be moved or disassembled manually, larger ones are designed for handling loads such as large containers weighing several tons. Specialized gantry cranes designed exclusively for container handling are equipped with a container crane spreader that allows for attaching and detaching operations from the driver's cabin.
Commonly seen gantry cranes in urban areas often use a hoist-style trolley for lifting and lowering loads, primarily employed in tasks like material handling in machinery and equipment.
As mentioned earlier, gantry cranes are highly versatile machines with a broad range of sizes and applications, including specialized structures for specific purposes. Here, we'll focus on explaining the principle of a standard gantry crane.
The primary component responsible for lifting and lowering loads, the hoist typically incorporates an electric winch for hoisting operations. In smaller types, manual chain blocks may be used instead of electric winches.
The structure supporting the hoist, also known as a girder or beam, consists of a main beam that directly supports the load and auxiliary beams that withstand horizontal forces. The basic girder cross-section includes horizontal members and diagonal and cross members.
Gantry crane legs are often constructed using box or pipe structures. One leg is designed to be a rigid structure, while the other is often made slender to avoid imposing excessive forces on the running rail due to girder deflection. This design ensures the crane withstands horizontal forces from load lifting, its self-weight, various movements, as well as forces from wind and seismic activity.
While gantry cranes are commonly made of steel, smaller ones made of aluminum for easy portability also exist.
Comprising basic components of a standard gantry crane, variations include hoist-type, club trolley-type, rope trolley-type, and man trolley-type, each determined by the type of trolley.
Specialized gantry cranes include structures like the jib crane on top of the gantry-shaped structure or the retractable crane with a retractable mechanism.
A lifting machine similar in shape to a gantry crane is the gantry lifter. While gantry cranes lift and lower loads using hoists, gantry lifters extend and retract their legs using hydraulic cylinders, achieving load lifting through this action.
When selecting a gantry crane, it is crucial to confirm that the lifting capacity matches the weight of the load. Additionally, consider specifications such as the distance between legs, girder height, and the type of wheels for movement, ensuring they meet the usage conditions.
For gantry cranes with a lifting capacity exceeding 5 tons, a "Crane and Derrick Operator" license is required to operate them. Therefore, it is essential to verify this qualification when choosing a machine.
*Including some distributors, etc.
Sort by Features
Sort by Area
American Equipment, founded in 1969 and located in Salt Lake CIty, Utah, is a manufacturer of industrial overhead cranes and other material handling products. The company's product line includes industrial overhead cranes, gantry cranes, overhead bridge cranes, hoists, and material handling equipment. It also provides replacement equipment, crane inspections, training, maintenance, and repair services. The company serves local and national clients across various sectors, including automotive, mining, aerospace, energy, and public utilities, among others.
EMH, Inc. is a US-based designer and manufacturer of overhead material handling equipment. Founded in 1988, the company is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. The company offers a selection of overhead material handling equipment for loads from 35 pounds to 300 tons, including overhead cranes, gantry cranes, jib cranes, wire rope hoists, end trucks, and bridge control panels. The company has a 125,000-square-foot manufacturing facility and a global distribution network. It is also an ISO 9001:2015-certified company, serving diverse industries, including shipbuilding, construction, manufacturing, power generation, automotive, aviation, and military sectors.
Spanco, Inc. is a manufacturer of material handling systems and overhead cranes established in 1979 and located in Downingtown, Pennsylvania, USA. The company offers workstation bridge cranes for lifting and moving loads within a work area, overhead cranes for handling materials in distribution or manufacturing operations, and portable gantry cranes in both powered and manual variants. It also offers jib cranes for circular work areas, and fall protection equipment such as lifeline systems for worker safety. The company’s products are mainly used by clients in the industrial manufacturing and logistics sectors.
Wallace Cranes, established in 1954, is a manufacturer of crane systems based in Pennsylvania, USA. The company offers various industrial crane systems, including bridge, jib, and gantry cranes. The company's products are designed to meet the diverse lifting needs of industries such as manufacturing, construction, warehouses, and more. These cranes are essential for efficiently moving heavy materials and equipment within industrial settings. Additionally, its crane systems meet industry safety standards and regulations. This includes compliance with OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) requirements.
Konecranes, founded in 1994 and based in Hyvinkää, Finland, is a manufacturer and supplier of material handling solutions, including industrial cranes, hoists and lifting equipment. The company offers a wide range of products, including electric chain hoist cranes, wall-mounted console cranes, air balancers, and container handling equipment such as automated RTG (ARTG) systems and sprinter carriers. The company also offers various industrial services and parts, including crane inspections & preventive maintenance, corrective maintenance & retrofits as well as consultations.
Ranking as of May 2025
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | American Equipment |
36.1%
|
| 2 | Spanco, Inc. |
19.4%
|
| 3 | EMH, Inc |
18.1%
|
| 4 | Konecranes |
13.9%
|
| 5 | Wallace Cranes |
12.5%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the gantry crane page as of May 2025. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
| Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
|
United States of America
|
4 | 100.0% |
17 products found
17 products
Tool System Co., Ltd.
260+ people viewing
■Main types: Super Tool Crane Series ・Jib crane ・Free crane ・Multi crane ・Portable gate crane ・Special crane
Hyuga Seisakusho Co., Ltd.
230+ people viewing
Last viewed: 1 hour ago
■With chain block & trolley Equipped with electric/manual chain hoist and manual geared trolley as standard equipment. ■Low price You can install ...
Hyuga Seisakusho Co., Ltd.
220+ people viewing
Last viewed: 22 hours ago
■Height adjustable The height can be expanded and contracted in 5 stages with a pitch of 220 mm. It can be moved and used in locations with differe...
