Pick and Carry Crane Hire in Crowborough, East Sussex —
Mobile Lifting With Load Travel for Site and Industrial Operations
Pick up the load at one position and carry it to another without setting up and breaking down between each move. A pick and carry crane travels with the load suspended, making it the right machine for repetitive repositioning lifts and multi-point installation work. Call 01892 662 777.
54 Years Trading
CPCS-Certified Operators
Lift Plans Included
Same or Next-Day Mobilisation
Repetitive lifting between positions on a large site — set up, lift, break down, move, set up again?
A pick and carry crane is a self-propelled lifting machine designed to travel with a suspended load between set-up positions. Unlike a conventional mobile crane which must deploy and retrieve its outriggers for each move, a pick and carry machine lifts the load and drives it to the next position in a single operation — dramatically reducing the time cost of repetitive site lifts.
Operated pick and carry crane hire. Lift plans included. East Sussex and Kent mobilisation.
When a Pick and Carry Crane Is the Right Choice
The defining capability of a pick and carry crane is load travel — the machine’s rated capacity for carrying a suspended load as it moves across the ground. This is a specific rating that is always lower than the static lift capacity, and it governs the operational use of the machine in travel mode. The pick and carry capacity is listed separately in the crane’s load chart and must be respected in the lift plan.
Pick and carry cranes are most useful on sites where multiple lift positions are required across an area that is too large to cover from a single crane set-up. Timber frame erection, where panels must be lifted and placed at positions around a building perimeter, is a typical application — the crane travels the full perimeter rather than the crew repositioning and re-rigging at each panel location. Steel frame erection on smaller industrial and commercial buildings follows the same logic.
In the industrial and factory sector, pick and carry cranes are used for press installation, machine repositioning during factory reorganisation, and moving heavy equipment between locations within a factory floor. Unlike a mobile crane, the pick and carry machine can typically operate on a factory floor surface without requiring additional ground protection, though floor loading must still be confirmed before any lift on a suspended or non-ground-bearing floor.
Pick and Carry Crane Capacities
Pick and carry cranes are available in capacities from around 5 tonnes to 40 tonnes and above for the larger machines in the class. The static lift capacity and the pick and carry travel capacity are different figures — the travel capacity is typically 50–70% of the static lift capacity depending on the model and the travel configuration. This reduction reflects the dynamic loads and reduced stability margins that apply when the machine is in motion with a load.
For a given project, the critical capacity figure is the pick and carry rating at the radius at which the load will be carried during travel. This must exceed the load weight with an appropriate factor. Where loads approach the travel capacity limit, travel speeds are reduced and surfaces must be firm, level and free of significant gradient changes. These constraints are addressed in the lift plan before the machine is mobilised. Call 01892 662 777 to discuss your lift programme and confirm the appropriate crane size.
For full specifications and pricing on our complete pick and carry crane range, browse the Coppard online catalogue.
Pick and Carry Crane Hire Across East Sussex and Kent
Coppard mobilises pick and carry cranes to sites across East Sussex and Kent. Contractors working in Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge, Uckfield, East Grinstead, Heathfield, Wadhurst and Forest Row regularly use pick and carry hire for frame erection and industrial lifting projects where the travel capability reduces programme time compared to a fixed-position mobile crane.
For large erection programmes where the crane is on site for several days, pick and carry hire is often more cost-effective than a mobile crane that requires repositioning and outrigger operations between each lift. Discuss your programme with us when you call and we will advise on the most efficient crane arrangement for your project. Call 01892 662 777.
We regularly supply pick and carry crane hire to customers across Tunbridge Wells, Uckfield, East Grinstead, Heathfield, Wadhurst, Forest Row and Tonbridge. Same-week delivery available from our Crowborough depot across East Sussex and Kent.
Lift Plans for Pick and Carry Operations
Pick and carry crane operations require lift plans that address both the static lifting phase and the travel phase. The static lift plan covers the crane position, load weight, lift radius and rigging arrangement at each lift point. The travel plan covers the travel route, ground surface condition, gradient profile, travel load weight and the pick and carry rated capacity at the travel configuration.
Ground conditions are a key planning consideration for pick and carry operations. The machine travels on rubber tyres or tracks and the tyre loads during travel with a suspended load can be significant. Soft or uneven ground creates instability risk during travel, and the travel route is assessed as part of the lift plan. Where surfaces are soft, additional ground support in the form of road plates or temporary hardstanding may be required. Our lift planner will identify these requirements during the planning stage. Call 01892 662 777 to begin the planning process.
Why Choose Coppard for Pick and Carry Crane Hire?
Coppard has been providing crane hire services across East Sussex and Kent for 54 years. Our lift planning team understands the specific requirements of pick and carry operations — travel capacity, ground conditions, route planning — and builds these into every lift plan. Our CPCS-certified operators are experienced with pick and carry machines and understand the dynamic behaviour of a crane travelling with a suspended load.
For construction programmes that combine crane hire with other plant — excavators, dumpers, compaction equipment — Coppard provides a single account and a single point of contact for your site’s complete equipment requirement. Call 01892 662 777 to discuss your pick and carry crane requirement.
Searching for the best pick and carry crane hire near me? Coppard’s Crowborough depot covers Crowborough, Tunbridge Wells, Uckfield, East Grinstead, Heathfield, Tonbridge, Forest Row, Wadhurst, Hartfield and the wider High Weald area of East Sussex and Kent. Call 01892 662 777.
For the full range of Crane Rental Agency available from our Crowborough depot, visit our Crane Rental Agency page.
Browse the full Pick and Carry Crane Hire catalogue on the Coppard website — full specifications, models and current availability.
Frequently Asked Questions — Pick and Carry Crane Hire in Crowborough and East Sussex
What is the difference between a pick and carry crane and a mobile crane?
A conventional mobile crane deploys outrigger legs or stabilisers before each lift and must retract them before moving to the next position. A pick and carry crane can lift a load and travel with it suspended, without deploying outriggers between positions. This makes pick and carry significantly faster for repetitive lifts across multiple positions on a site.
Can a pick and carry crane work on soft ground?
Pick and carry cranes are designed for travel on firm, level surfaces. Soft, uneven or significantly graded ground creates instability risk during travel with a suspended load. Ground conditions are assessed as part of the lift plan and any requirements for ground support — road plates, temporary hardstanding — are identified before mobilisation. Our operator will assess conditions on arrival and will not travel with a load on ground that does not meet safe operating requirements.
How does travel capacity compare to lifting capacity?
The pick and carry travel capacity is typically 50–70% of the static lift capacity at equivalent radius. The exact figure depends on the crane model and the travel configuration. The travel capacity is specified in the crane load chart and must be used as the governing figure when planning load travel operations.
Do you need a lift plan for pick and carry operations?
Yes. Pick and carry operations are lifting operations under LOLER and require a lift plan covering both the static lifting and load travel phases. The plan is included with Coppard operated crane hire. For non-operated pick and carry hire, the lift plan is the responsibility of the hiring contractor.
Need Pick and Carry Crane Hire near you in East Sussex or Kent?
Call 01892 662 777. Same-day collection from Crowborough. Delivery across East Sussex, Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge, Uckfield, East Grinstead and beyond.
