Overhead Crane installation in Cheshire

Case Study: New Overhead Crane Extension in Cheshire for Concrete Panel Manufacturer

Industry: Precast Concrete
Location: Cheshire
Crane Type: Extended Overhead Crane with Integrated Safety System

Introduction

Our customer, a concrete manufacturer in Cheshire, produces large precast concrete panels weighing up to 15 tonnes. As demand increased, so did the strain on their existing workflow.

Previously, completed panels had to be loaded onto a lorry inside the workshop, driven around the site to the rear holding area, and then unloaded again. This process created a major bottleneck in production, tied up staff and machinery, and introduced inefficiencies that limited their capacity to grow.

The Solution - Overhead Crane Extension

To improve productivity, the rear of the building was opened up and new crane runway extensions were installed. This allowed the overhead crane to travel directly beyond the building and reach the loading area at the rear — eliminating the need for lorry shuttling.

But the solution came with a challenge: the crane’s new path would pass over a roadway used by vehicles and foot traffic. This created a serious safety risk that needed addressing before implementation.

That’s where Gillott Engineering came in.

Safety and Productivity - Crane Controlled Road barriers

To ensure safe operation where the crane crosses the roadway, we designed and installed a bespoke automated safety system:

Automated Safety Barriers - Installed at either end of the crossing point
Audible & Visual Warnings - Sirens and beacons activated on crane approach
Integrated Crane Controls - Barriers triggered by crane movement, automatically closing to prevent traffic access during use
Failsafe Operation - Ensures no unauthorised crossing while the crane is overhead