This is what a buyer checks before they shortlist a machinery and equipment supplier.
What does a buyer check before ordering a crane or hoist?
They check safe working load and span against the building, the duty classification against how hard the crane will work, and the test and inspection certification. Duty class is what separates a crane that lasts from one that fails early, and it is routinely left out.
A works engineer is specifying lifting equipment that will be inspected regularly and must not be the reason for a stoppage.
Reviewed 4 August 2026 · Written for crane and hoist manufacturers selling to business buyers
What does a buyer check before ordering a crane or hoist?
What a buyer needs to identify the product
These are the fields a buyer scans before deciding whether you are worth contacting. Missing one of them usually ends the visit without an email.
- 1
Safe working load
The headline specification, and a legal one.
- 2
Span and lift height
Must match the building structure.
- 3
Duty classification
How intensively the crane can be worked over its life.
- 4
Crane type
Overhead, gantry, jib and monorail suit different layouts.
- 5
Travel speeds and control type
Determine cycle time and operator experience.
- 6
Power supply and control voltage
Installation constraint.
- 7
Wheel loads and end carriage details
The structural engineer needs these before anything else.
The documents buyers ask for
Not all of them belong on a public page. Naming the ones you can issue is what separates a supplier who can be audited from one who cannot.
| Document | What it proves | Where it belongs |
|---|---|---|
| Load test certificateAsked at: before first use — legally required in most markets | Proof load test performed before handover | Per shipment |
| Design calculation and duty classificationAsked at: design approval | That the crane is designed for the intended duty | Name it, share on request |
| Declaration of ConformityAsked at: before commissioning | Conformity with machinery and lifting requirements | Publish it |
| Wheel load and structural dataAsked at: building design stage | Loads imposed on the building structure | Publish it |
| Inspection and maintenance scheduleAsked at: handover | Statutory inspection intervals and what they cover | Publish it |
| Operator and maintenance manualAsked at: handover | Safe operation and maintenance procedures | Publish it |
| Spare parts availability statementAsked at: total cost evaluation | How long parts remain available for the model | Publish it |
Where cranes and hoists sites lose the enquiry
Each of these is common, cheap to fix, and costs an enquiry that never arrives — so nobody ever reports it.
Duty classification omitted
It is what determines whether the crane survives its intended use. Its absence is how underspecified cranes are sold on price.
No wheel load data
The building structure has to carry the crane. Without wheel loads the structural engineer cannot proceed and the project stalls at your supplier.
Inspection obligations not mentioned
Lifting equipment is subject to statutory inspection. A manufacturer silent on it appears unfamiliar with how their product is regulated.
What the enquiry form should ask
A form that collects these can be answered properly the first time. A form that collects a name and a message cannot.
Enquiry form — cranes and hoists
Enough to reply usefully, short enough that a buyer finishes it.
- Load to be lifted and lift height
- The core specification.
- Span and building details
- Determines feasibility and structural impact.
- Duty and cycles per hour
- Sets the classification required.
- Application and environment
- Hot, corrosive or hazardous areas change the design.
- Existing structure or new build
- Decides whether the building can take the loads.
- Installation window
- Crane installation usually requires a shutdown.
Questions suppliers ask
Why does duty classification matter so much?
Because two cranes with the same safe working load can be designed for very different working lives. A crane classified for light intermittent use will fail early in a foundry. Publishing the classification protects you from the failures and lets serious buyers see the difference from a cheaper offer.
Should wheel loads be published before an order?
Yes, for standard configurations. The structural engineer needs them early and the project cannot progress without them. Being the supplier whose data is already available is often enough to be designed in before a competitor is even contacted.
How should service and inspection be presented?
As an ongoing obligation you support, with intervals and scope stated. Buyers of lifting equipment carry legal duties around inspection, and a manufacturer who explains those duties and offers to meet them is providing something the price comparison does not capture.
Documents and standards named here are the ones buyers in this industry commonly ask for; requirements vary by market, customer and contract, so treat this as a starting checklist rather than a compliance list. Clearer pages can help discovery and evaluation. They do not guarantee rankings, AI citations, enquiries or revenue.
Illustrative
An enquiry from this search looks like: Load to be lifted and lift height · Span and building details · Duty and cycles per hour · Application and environment
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