When a Standard Crane Won’t Cut It
Off-the-shelf equipment is designed to handle loads with ordinary shapes, sizes, and weights, in environments with high clearance, open routes, and simple lift-and-travel movement. But while this describes most environments, there are some sites and applications that place more demands on standard cranes than they can reasonably handle.
Why Some Applications Demand a Custom Solution
Flatiron engineers work closely with customers—assessing their loads, facility, and workflow—to determine whether a standard crane is suitable for their operation or whether they would benefit from customized equipment. We provide solutions to companies in multiple industries, adapting our cranes to meet their unique operational and lifting requirements as well as to address specific concerns, such as:
- Limited Headroom
- Heavy Duty Cycles
- Irregular Floorplan or Layout
- Inadequate Floor, Runways, or Foundation
- Objects and Obstacles Along Lifting Path
- Oversized, Asymmetric, or Oddly-Shaped Loads
- Delicate, High-Value Materials or Products
- Humidity, High Temperatures, and Corrosive Environments
Benefits of Custom Cranes
Custom cranes are designed around your duty cycle, load capacity, space constraints, working environment, and material characteristics — enabling them to improve safety, enhance productivity, and increase your lifting capacity. Because they’re purpose-built, they fit seamlessly into your existing systems allowing you to lift, move, and handle critical materials in otherwise challenging locations, while their specialized configuration leads to greater performance in unique applications.
What Goes into a Flatiron Custom Crane
Flatiron adapts its designs to your worksite, production process, and lifted materials. A trusted partner for some of North America’s largest and most demanding industries, we can tailor nearly every aspect of your crane to match your operational needs. Our systems are:
Built for Your Load, Span & Lift Height
Our team delivers single-girder and double-girder cranes with top-running or under-running configurations modified for your existing structure, enabling you to lift, move, and position objects anywhere within your coverage area.
Designed for Your Environment
Cranes located in humid areas or coastal regions, as well as ones that handle industrial chemicals, often require special hardware, protective coatings, and enclosures to prevent corrosion and electrical shorts.
Manufactured with Controls Built Around How You Work
Flatiron’s radio and pendant control systems allow operators to adjust crane speed and position to ensure loads are transferred safely between workstations, loading docks, storage areas, and production lines.
Made to Support Custom Attachments
Our specialized below-the-hook devices simplify the rigging process, allowing you to secure heavy, delicate, and asymmetric materials without complex, time-consuming workarounds that can damage products and lead to accidents.
Types of Custom Cranes We Fabricate
Searching for a way to take your operation to the next level? Explore our overhead crane systems and find a solution that’s the right fit for your operation.
- Custom Overhead Cranes
- Custom Jib Cranes
- Custom Gantry Cranes
- Custom Workstation Cranes
- Custom Transfer Cars
Why Facilities Choose Flatiron for Custom Crane Projects
Flatiron is one of North America’s premier crane manufacturers, with offices and affiliates across the United States and Canada. We continue to outpace the competition thanks to our:
In-House Engineering Team
Flatiron delivers complete, end-to-end solutions — designed, manufactured, and installed by our in-house team of engineers, technicians and electricians.
Factory-Trained Technicians
Hands-on experience gives our technical teams the skills and knowledge necessary to diagnose, troubleshoot, and repair your systems in the field.
Full Lifecycle Support
We back our products at every stage of their lifespan with inspections, upgrades, and maintenance programs that extend their lifespan and reduce cost of ownership.
Comprehensive Service
Our technicians work on cranes of all makes and models from all major manufacturers, even ones we did not install, to ensure your operations run smoothly.
Other Solutions We Provide At Flatiron Crane
In addition to full replacements, Flatiron also provides targeted upgrades designed to modernize your operations. By replacing outdated equipment with new technology, we can enhance safety, boost efficiency, and optimize performance with integrated material handling solutions built to fit your production goals.
Ready to Spec Your Custom Crane?
Flatiron’s custom lifting systems ensure your operation remains productive, with cranes built to optimize material flow in busy and challenging environments.