Reid Lifting gantries used in solar energy sector

The company, based in Brooklyn, New York, which installs solar systems across the city, uses Porta-Gantry cranes as they offer the perfect combination of lightweight, required headroom, and ease of assembly, to improve efficiency around installations on properties of all types.

FAD Equipment Store stocks six Porta-Gantry models in a capacity range covering 880 lbs. to 11,000 lbs. and Small, Intermediate, Tall, and Rapide versions. Urban Energy’s fleet includes multiple 4,400-lb. capacity TC models, with adjustable heights reaching 19’ 1”.

“We searched high and low for a product that would meet our needs, and after a series of disappointments from other companies we stumbled upon the Porta-Gantry. It is an incredible balance of lightweight and exceptional working height, allowing us to greatly increase our efficiency through reduced set-up time, ease of handling, and overall reduction of steps,” said Will Sherer, construction manager, Urban Energy.

The Porta-Gantry range has four different height frames—all adjustable—and several beam lengths, as well as working load limits, allowing for multiple variations at each capacity.

Assembly is easy and can be completed within approx. 15 minutes without the aid of overhead lifting devices—a key factor in many applications. Due to portability and ease of assembly, the products are often used as a safer alternative to a tripod in confined spaces. The range is also one, two, or three-person ANSI-compliant for fall arrest.

“Our team is delighted with the ease of set-up and breakdown of the Porta-Gantry, and it continues to improve our processes through its versatility. The gantries have allowed us such a degree of flexibility in our install process that we’ve been able to make significant leaps in the design of our product that we didn’t think would be possible,” added Sherer/Urban Energy’s in-house construction firm specializes in custom-designed solutions for the urban solar market, to deliver long-living solar systems for buildings. Sherer explained it makes it easy for property owners and investors to participate in New York’s lucrative community solar initiative to combat climate change and create a clean-energy future.

The Porta-Gantry and Porta-Gantry Rapide aluminum gantries are designed for easy transport, rapid assembly, and safe use. Customers use these lightweight, portable, gantries in mill righting, civil construction, and mining, where increased utilization of such lightweight cranes has been seen over some time. They are also available in the renewable energy, water and wastewater, oil and gas, height safety and rescue, automotive, marine, nuclear, and utilities.