Gantry crane vs. outdoor overhead crane: Which is more economical?

By Marc-André Martineau
Manager and partner at Premium Industrial Group

You have a lifting project and you’ve seen various installations, both real and on the Internet. You may have heard that gantry cranes cost less than overhead cranes, because they require less structure. But is this true? The question is important, because your choice of product can influence the profitability of your investment.

Premium Industrial Group has extensive experience in outdoor lifting equipment. I myself have been involved in some thirty projects where this question has been studied. And in the vast majority of cases, the optimum solution was not the one originally considered.

In this article, we will first answer the main question: does a gantry crane project cost less than an overhead crane project for an outdoor installation? Next, we’ll look at the features of each piece of equipment, as well as their overall acquisition cost. After reading, you’ll be able to clear up any misconceptions about gantry cranes and choose the right equipment for your project.

But let’s start with a direct answer to the question.

Does a gantry crane cost less than an outdoor overhead crane?

First of all, it’s important to know that Premium Industrial Group can manufacture and install both gantry cranes and overhead cranes. For more information on gantry cranes, you can visit the page: gantry/semi-gantry cranes. We are not biased towards one solution or another. Our recommendations are based on a needs analysis, not on a preferred product.

What’s more, Premium does not target the harbor crane market. Rather, our focus is Quebec’s industrial and manufacturing sector. This article therefore focuses primarily on outdoor equipment in this particular sector.

That said, in this context, we can say that, generally speaking, the answer is: NO, a gantry crane is not cheaper than an overhead crane. The rest of this article will explain why.

Let’s start by understanding what distinguishes a gantry crane from an overhead crane.

What’s the difference between a gantry crane and an outdoor overhead crane?

First of all, here’s a table detailing the differences between the two products. This will help you understand the difference between these two types of lifting equipment :

Gantry crane placed on rails

Overhead crane placed on self-supporting structure

As you can see, the big difference between the two pieces of equipment is that the gantry crane has legs. This makes it more expensive than an overhead crane, which is a simple horizontal structure. However, the gantry crane only needs rails on the ground, whereas the overhead crane must be installed on an elevated track. This larger, taller steel structure may seem more expensive than simple ground rails.

This raises the question: what makes the installation of an overhead crane on a self-supporting structure less expensive than the installation of a gantry crane?

Why does an outdoor overhead crane project generally cost less than a gantry crane?

First of all, North American context has a major impact on the price of gantry cranes in Canada. Because of the difficult climate and less optimized standards than in Europe, this type of equipment costs more in Canada. This means that the price difference between gantry cranes and outdoor overhead cranes is even greater in Canada.

That’s why you need to be careful with the Internet! It’s easy to compare costs online, but gantry crane prices on European sites don’t match the reality here.

But then, will the higher cost of the self-supporting overhead crane structure make up for the price difference with the gantry crane, which only needs rails on the ground? Most of the time, no.

Unfortunately, gantry crane rails are larger and therefore more expensive. What’s more, they need to be firmly anchored in the foundation to ensure the equipment’s stability and performance. This means that deep concrete foundations are generally required along the entire length of the crane track, which is more expensive than the foundations needed to support the columns of a self-supporting structure. Looks can be deceiving! So, even if an overhead crane structure looks expensive, the total project is often more economical.

Gantry crane rail on foundation

Self-supporting overhead crane structure

That’s why, in most cases, an overhead crane is a better option than a gantry crane for outdoor installation in North America. But this raises a new question: are there situations in which a gantry crane would be more advantageous than an overhead crane?

What type of application is a gantry crane best suited for?

Now that we’ve analyzed the question of price, are there any situations where it would be worthwhile analyzing the advantages of a gantry crane?

In fact, the main advantage of a gantry crane is that it can be designed with a cantilever extension, allowing the hoist to extend beyond the “leg” and access specific areas. When the lateral movement of the hoist needs to extend beyond the rails, as can be seen with gantry cranes used in ports, this type of equipment is appropriate, since it is not possible to achieve this configuration on an overhead crane. But this advantage becomes irrelevant in the manufacturing industry when we compare the gantry crane with an outdoor overhead crane on a self-supporting structure.

Gantry crane placed on rails

Overhead crane or gantry crane: Which product to choose?

In conclusion, we can say that, in the manufacturing sector, the overhead crane is a more economical solution than the gantry crane when it comes to outdoor lifting projects in North America. However, gantry cranes are good options for port applications.

If you’re looking to evaluate an outdoor equipment project in the manufacturing sector, whether it’s a permanent or temporary installation, a lifting specialist can advise you by evaluating the various options with you. However, each project should be treated on a case-by-case basis to ensure that the best solution is presented to you.

Which brings us to the next step: analyzing your needs.

The next step: an analysis of your needs to find the best solution

In this article, we have seen that, contrary to popular belief, the acquisition of an outdoor gantry crane does not cost less than an overhead crane with a self-supporting structure. Our analysis of the two types of project and their costs has enabled us to establish more clearly the contexts in which gantry cranes can be considered, enabling us to make the right choice of equipment from the outset.

But the first step is always to have your needs analyzed by a lifting specialist. To help you determine the lifting solution best suited to your context, please fill in the form at the bottom of the page and an experienced Premium Industrial Group specialist will contact you. He or she will be able to guide you towards the most suitable product based on your environment and application.