Allelys adds 1,070 tonne gantry to expand restricted site lifting

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UK heavy transport specialist Allelys has invested in an Enerpac SBL1100 hydraulic gantry, increasing its ability to lift and position heavy project cargo where conventional cranes face restrictions.

The acquisition brings the company’s hydraulic gantry fleet to eight systems. With a stated maximum lifting capacity of 1,070 tonnes and a maximum lifting height of 12 metres, the SBL1100 is now the highest capacity hydraulic gantry operated by Allelys.

The investment expands the range of lifting methods available to the company’s engineering teams, particularly for projects involving power generation equipment, transformers, turbines, industrial machinery and other heavy components.

No purchase price or delivery schedule was disclosed.

Allelys previously listed hydraulic gantries with capacities of up to 900 tonnes. The SBL1100 therefore raises the upper end of its fleet by about 170 tonnes, although the available lifting capacity depends on the gantry configuration, lift height and operating conditions.

Manufacturer Enerpac rates the four leg SBL1100 at 1,069 metric tonnes, which Allelys has rounded to 1,070 tonnes. The system reaches a maximum height of approximately 12 metres through its telescopic boom arrangement.

For project planners, those figures provide an additional option between conventional hydraulic gantries, strand jack systems and large mobile or crawler cranes. The system is intended for controlled lifting and positioning rather than long radius crane work.

Like a temporary overhead crane assembled around the cargo, the gantry can be installed on tracks and configured to lift a component from above. This can allow a load to be raised, moved and lowered into its final position within a relatively compact working area.

Such an arrangement is often used inside power stations, manufacturing plants and industrial buildings where roof height, floor loading, surrounding structures or limited access make a large crane difficult to deploy.

Hydraulic gantries are commonly used during the installation and removal of transformers, generators, turbines, presses and other concentrated loads. Their modular construction means individual legs, header beams, tracks and hydraulic equipment can be transported separately before being assembled at the project site.

The method can also reduce the space needed for crane assembly, counterweights and boom clearance. However, each operation still requires detailed checks covering ground bearing pressure, track alignment, load distribution, lifting points and the structural capacity of the surrounding site.

“Our investment decisions are shaped by the challenges our clients face and the capabilities our teams need to solve them,” Richard Beardmore, managing director at Allelys, said.

“The SBL1100 will give our engineering and operational teams another option when developing safe and efficient solutions for complex lifting projects.”

Beardmore said the combination of capacity and lifting height would allow the company to support a wider range of requirements in restricted or challenging environments.

The SBL1100 uses self contained hydraulic equipment within each gantry leg. Enerpac’s control system synchronises lifting and travelling movements, enabling operators to monitor the load and control the system remotely. The gantry can also be equipped for horizontal movement and side shifting, depending on the project configuration.

The acquisition continues a period of equipment investment by the Warwickshire based company. In June 2026, Allelys announced the purchase of its tenth girder frame, a system with a capacity of 250 tonnes intended for transporting heavy loads with strict height restrictions.

The company has also expanded its fleet of modular axles, heavy ballast tractors and specialist trailers in recent years. Its wider equipment portfolio includes self propelled modular transporters, hydraulic jacking and skidding equipment, strand jack systems, Franna cranes and all terrain mobile cranes with capacities of up to 550 tonnes.

Hydraulic gantries form one part of that equipment chain. A heavy component arriving at a UK port, for example, may require a combination of ship discharge, temporary storage, modular road transport, jacking, skidding and final installation. Owning equipment across those stages gives the contractor more options when preparing an integrated transport and lifting plan.

The new system will complement rather than replace Allelys’ existing gantries. Lower capacity systems may remain more suitable for smaller loads, tighter locations or projects where mobilisation costs and available floor space are the main constraints.