When a company goes ahead with the purchase of a lifting solution, it often wants installation to be fast, or on schedule. And that’s normal: after all those steps of assessing needs, receiving offers and negotiating, we’re eager to get started on the project that will increase the company’s productivity and profitability. It may be part of a well-thought-out business plan, and we can’t wait to see the fruits of our investment.
But on the side of your lifting supplier, there are specific processes and constraints, of course. We understand that we’re not talking about a table or chair waiting in stock for an order to be placed, but rather a customized solution built for a very specific application.
What are the delivery lead times in the overhead crane industry? What factors have an impact on them? Do we have the power to speed things up? Let’s find out in the rest of this article.
How long does it take to deliver an overhead crane?
Obviously, the delivery time for a crane depends on many factors. But there are 3 main ones: the type of product, its availability in stock and whether or not it’s a standard product. That said, to answer the question as directly as possible, here are some ranges of delivery times a customer can normally expect for these different types of circumstances:
Table of approximate delivery times in the overhead crane industry
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Product types
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Approximate delivery times
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Single girder overhead crane
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4 to 8 weeks
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Box girder crane
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6 to 10 weeks
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Overhead crane with structure
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6 to 10 weeks
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Non-stock products
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16 to 22 weeks
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Non-standard products
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24 weeks and more
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What influences the delivery time of your crane?
There are a number of factors that can increase the delivery time of a piece of lifting equipment. Obviously, the complexity of the project will play an important role. The efficiency of the company – in other words, its structure and organization – will also have an impact, particularly on manufacturing time. Another important consideration is where to find the materials needed to assemble your project. It’s important to bear in mind that the majority of standard hoist manufacturers are located in Europe. For this reason, if your crane supplier doesn’t have the products in stock, it’s likely that they’ll have to bring them in from afar. All these factors play a part in how quickly your equipment will be ready for installation.
But beware! There’s an overlooked and subtle element that can affect delivery time: miscommunication about expectations. For example, at what point do you start calculating the delivery time in the quotation? This is an important question. How do you do it?
Due to imprecise communication, a buyer might think that the calculation of the delivery time begins when the order is signed. But to be realistic in this assessment, best practice suggests that this calculation begins when the supplier has the technical drawings approved by the customer. Doesn’t this make sense? Imagine, for example, that after receiving the technical drawings from the manufacturer, the future owner realizes that the lifting height needs to be modified. What impact will this change have on the project? Beyond the price, it’s highly likely that the delivery time will be affected by this change. The same goes for a structure: if the customer realizes from the plan that the columns need to be moved because of an obstruction, this can change the project completely. It’s impossible to anticipate everything. Hence the importance of technical drawing approval. In addition, it’s important to remember that the engineering and drawing approval process can take from 1 to 4 weeks, depending on the complexity of the project, and that this period is generally nto included in the delivery time indicated by the supplier.
In view of this information, there seem to be many steps and constraints that can influence delivery time. The natural question now is: is it possible to speed up delivery lead times? If so, how and at what cost?
Is it possible to speed up the delivery of your crane?
The first thing to do if you have a problem with delivery time is to talk to your technical representative. He or she will be able to tell you if any of the following avenues can be taken in your situation.
Design revision process time
One of the keys to accelerating delivery time is to collaborate fully and rapidly with your technical representative during the technical drawing approval process. From the moment you have the technical drawings in hand for approval, you’re in complete control of time! The sooner you approve the drawings, the sooner the production of your crane can begin. So, at this stage your impact on the delivery time is major.
Modular manufacturing
Modular manufacturing (cart)
Throughout the project preparation process, it’s possible for some of the components to be available, while others are on hold, causing a delay. In such circumstances, the missing components can be completed using modular manufacturing. For example, if a cart or end carriages are not readily available, they can be manufactured from wheel blocks. In such cases, however, an additional charge is incurred.
Plane delivery
Cargo plane
When components aren’t available from stock, and modular manufacturing isn’t an option, are there any other solutions? If the parts are relatively small, they can be flown in at extra cost. But beware: once a certain size is exceeded, delivery costs increase drastically, while the guarantee of a better lead time diminishes. As a result, it’s no longer worth spending large sums of money with no certainty that the delivery time will be shortened. And that’s without considering the fact that the component may not be in stock at the manufacturer’s premises, which means that he too will have to assemble it before shipping it. To give concrete examples from the world of lifting, a motor can probably be delivered by air to speed up the process, since it’s relatively small and is probably on a shelf at the manufacturer’s. But for a complete hoist, its dimensions will make availability uncertain for a short-term flight, not to mention the fact that it may have to be assembled at the manufacturer’s before delivery.
In conclusion, the delivery time for an overhead crane varies according to the type of equipment, inventory and complexity of the project. The process between signature and the start of production will also play a role, but the customer can have a significant effect during this period. As for what can be done to speed up the process, it’s a case-by-case affair. But with good communication with your project manager, you can look forward to enjoying the benefits of your lifting equipment on schedule.
