Glass Manufacturing Industry Cranes
Low-impact, high-precision lifting that protects glass
In the glass manufacturing industry, lifting is never just about capacity. A single sheet can weigh several tonnes, but it still needs to be moved with controlled, low-impact motion to avoid micro-fractures, edge damage and surface marking. That is why Street Crane designs glass plant industrial cranes around stable travel, smooth hoisting and purpose-built attachments, so you can move raw materials, tooling and finished product safely.
Designed and built in the UK, our overhead crane systems combine robust mechanical engineering with advanced control using Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs), giving you the gentle handling glass demands without compromising reliability. Backed by nearly 80 years of lifting expertise and ISO 9001 quality management, we support long-term performance with practical engineering, responsive service and family-owned accountability.
Speak to our sales team today on +44 (0)1298 812456 or complete the enquiry form to discuss your glass plants lifting requirements.
Crane solutions for glass manufacturing
Glass manufacturing brings together three very different lifting environments, and each one places its own demands on crane design and control.
At the batching stage, cranes may be moving abrasive bulk materials and handling grab or bucket duties where dust and wear protection matter. At the hot end, heavy moulds and tooling must be positioned accurately, because even small misalignment can affect product finish and process stability. At the cold end, large-format sheets behave like sails, making sway control and shock-free motion essential when transferring glass to coating lines, stacking areas or storage racks.
We work with your operations, maintenance and procurement teams to specify a solution that matches duty cycle, headroom, hook approach, load behaviour, preferred controls and the lifting method itself, whether that is vacuum, padded clamps, mechanical grabs, or a bespoke handling frame. The result is a crane system engineered around quality-critical handling, not generic lifting.
Cranes
We have a large range of pre-engineered cranes to meet the needs of almost all industrial applications up to 250 tonnes capacity.
Components & Hoists
Designed for ease of crane assembly anywhere in the world, Street Crane kits include everything needed to build a complete overhead crane except the steelwork for the main bridge girder.
Spares & Servicing
Only genuine Street parts will ensure the lifelong productivity and reliability of your lifting equipment. Street parts are available from our warehouses in the UK and the USA. We also supply through our network of official distributors around the globe.
Overhead cranes engineered for glass environments
Street Crane overhead systems are built for precise, repeatable motion and long-term maintainability.
For glass plants, that means designing for smooth acceleration and deceleration, predictable movement, stable travel, and the right interface to your handling attachment, so operators can place loads accurately without shock-loading the product or the structure.
Where buildings are height-constrained for process control, we optimise the crane and hoist layout to maximise usable hook height and safe approaches. Where lines are congested, we engineer travel paths and coverage so cranes integrate cleanly with production flow and don’t become a bottleneck.
Key design considerations
Glass handling succeeds or fails on control. Our VFD-based motion control supports soft start and stop, programmable speeds and micro-speed positioning for the final approach into racks, coaters and processing machines. Where large sheets are vulnerable to sway, we specify control strategies that help keep the load stable and vertical, reducing the risk of contact damage and improving placement accuracy.
For abrasive, dusty areas such as batching, we consider component protection and practical maintenance access, because uptime and cleanliness directly affect operating cost and safety performance.
Just as importantly, we design around the attachment. Vacuum lifters, padded clamps and mechanical grabs introduce their own load paths, pickup points and safety requirements. We engineer the crane, hoist, controls and lifting accessory as one system, with clear operational logic that supports safe lifting and reduces operator strain.
Glass sector crane solutions
ZX Single and Double Girder Cranes
ZX cranes are the core solution for many glass plant operations, from moving packs of plate glass to handling stillages, frames and process loads. Single girder ZX cranes lift up to 25 tonnes, while double girder versions extend up to 80 tonnes and can deliver higher top-hook positions where headroom is tight. With VFD-based advanced control, you get smooth hoisting and stable travel that supports delicate handling, and the ZX hoist design is engineered for low maintenance and long service life.
ZX Underslung Cranes
In areas where you need full-span coverage without runway columns, ZX single and double girder underslung cranes run on roof-mounted tracks and keep the floor clear for lines, racks and pedestrian routes. Optional reach solutions can help extend coverage beyond the runway line, supporting efficient movement across wide processing bays.
Special cranes and engineered lifting attachments for glass-specific handling
Where standard lifting is not enough, we engineer special solutions built around your process. That can include cranes configured specifically for mechanical grabs and bucket handling in raw material areas, purpose-built lifting beams for packs, or controlled interfaces for vacuum lifters used on large-format sheets and coated products. Special cranes are designed to specification and can be configured for demanding duty cycles where required.
Portal and semi-portal cranes
Where outdoor storage, vehicle loading, or building structures limit the feasibility of overhead runways, semi-portal and full-portal cranes provide robust coverage with capacities from 1 to 200 tonnes. Rail-less semi-portal designs can reduce civil works and remove a common trip hazard, while still providing practical lifting coverage across open areas.
LCS light crane systems
Not every lift in a glass plant is a multi-tonne sheet. For workstation zones, finishing, inspection, maintenance and sub-assembly tasks, our light crane systems provide ergonomic, low-resistance handling up to 1.5 tonnes (single beam) or 2 tonnes (double beam), with layouts that can be adapted as processes change. For compact lifting requirements, LX single girder cranes operate up to 5 tonnes and can be configured to make the best use of restricted headroom.
Jib cranes
Slewing and wall-travelling jib cranes provide agile, localised lifting where operators need close control near the workpiece, without interrupting overhead crane traffic. They are well suited to mould handling support areas, inspection and packing stations, and maintenance tasks around plant equipment with capacities up to 20 tonnes.
"Regency Glass have a long working relationship with Street Crane, we expect quality products and services from our suppliers and that is exactly what Street Crane deliver. They fitted two 5t cranes to existing steel at our new 420,000 sq ft facility in Warrington and we couldn’t be happier with what they have provided"
Specialised features for safe glass handling
In glass plants, the most valuable “feature” is predictable motion that protects the product and the people around it. VFD-based advanced control enables smooth acceleration and deceleration to minimise shock loading, while micro-speed positioning supports careful final placement into racks, coaters and process machines.
Where large sheets are prone to swing, control strategies can be applied to reduce sway and stabilise travel, helping operators maintain safe clearances and avoid contact damage.
Equally, lifting attachments are treated as part of the system, not an add-on. We engineer cranes to suit vacuum lifters, padded clamps, mechanical grabs and bespoke lifting beams, with clear operating logic and robust mechanical integration that supports repeatable, low-impact handling and reduces the risk of breakage events that create cullet hazards, clean-up time and production disruption.
Making advanced lifting practical for glass plants
Advanced control should make the job easier, not more complex. Our systems use VFDs to deliver programmable speeds and predictable motion profiles, helping you standardise handling, protect quality and maintain stable cycle times.
Diagnostics and condition insight support maintenance planning and help reduce unexpected stoppages. Efficient hoist gearing and controlled motor management also support energy reduction and long-term asset life, improving total cost of ownership.
Let’s design lifting that keeps production moving
Whether you are upgrading an existing crane, adding a new processing line, or specifying lifting for a new bay, we will help you find the right crane, attachment and control strategy for your glass operation.
Call +44 (0)1298 812456 or email website@streetcrane.co.uk.
Get Started Today
Have any questions or want a quote please contact us