Below-the-hook lifting devices are specialized attachments designed to lift, move, and position loads that are difficult to handle with traditional slings and rigging hardware.
Keep Your Machines Running Smoothly
Below-the-Hook Devices We Supply and Engineer
Reading Crane & Engineering (RC&E) sells and installs below-the-hook lifting devices from some of the industry’s leading manufacturers. While we offer a wide selection of “off-the-shelf” attachments, our custom-built solutions provide even greater flexibility when handling large, irregular, or delicate materials.
Spreader Beams
Sometimes referred to as spreader bars, spreader beams distribute weight across multiple lifting points, increasing stability and reducing the compressive forces on the object while it’s being transferred.
Coil Lifters
Telescoping coil lifters have extendable arms that let them handle materials with a variety of coil sizes, allowing operators to perform multiple tasks using the same device without sacrificing safety or stability.
Coil Hooks
The most common tool for handling coiled loads, these devices hook under the inner diameter of coiled materials. Because they’re self-seating, they enable operators to move loads with minimal setup and handling.
Tongs
An ideal choice for objects with no specific lifting point, tongs exert a firm but controlled grip capable of handling a wide range of objects without risk of damage, including rounds, tubes, bars, slabs, and crates.
Sheet Lifters
Designed to lift, move, and stack flat bundles, plates, and other flat material, sheet lifters use hydraulic or mechanical pressure to grab loads of varying widths and safely transfer them to their designated drop-off point.
Custom-Engineered Solutions
Reading’s custom-built devices outperform standard, off-the-shelf equipment where it matters most: speed, cost, and safety. By basing our design on your specific layout, workload, and lifting requirements, we reduce the need for complex, multi-step rigging ‒ enabling operators to secure and hoist materials more efficiently.
For operations involving repetitive lifting and high-value products, tailoring below-the-hook attachments according to the weight, size, and shape of your loads leads to higher throughput, fewer accidents, and significant long-term savings.
Compliance and Inspection
Every device sold and manufactured by RC&E is thoroughly tested to make sure it’s strong enough to comply with OSHA regulations for performance and safety. Inspections are carried out by engineers familiar with government and industry standards, ensuring every component conforms to strict requirements for structural integrity and reliability.
Below-the-Hook Repair and Recertification
While below-the-hook devices are made to handle industrial materials, years of repeated cycling can wear down even the most robust system. But while business owners often assume replacing equipment is their only option, restoration allows them to achieve the same results faster, at a fraction of the cost.
Our trained experts not only bring degraded below-the-hook devices up to code, they also restore them to their original manufacturer specifications by repairing structural defects and reinforcing critical parts. Refurbished parts are tested and recertified to make sure they’re strong, safe, and reliable enough to handle their rated loads.
Why Choose Reading Crane & Engineering?
RC&E has been manufacturing cranes and crane equipment for over 100 years. All our below-the-hook attachments are designed, manufactured, and tested in-house by a full team of structural, mechanical, and electrical engineers, to ensure our devices match your lifting needs.
- Over 100 Years of Expertise. We’ve been designing, engineering, and manufacturing overhead cranes for more than a century, with many of our oldest systems still in operation today!
- Engineering Excellence from the Ground Up. RC&E builds cranes designed to fit your facility and operation, backed by some of the top engineers, electricians, and technicians in the country.
- Service for All Makes & Models. Reading provides end-to-end repair and maintenance solutions for a wide range of lifting equipment, even for systems we didn’t design, manufacture, or install.
- Locally Stationed Technicians. Our service centers are strategically located near major industrial zones and logistical facilities, enabling us to respond quickly to customer needs and concerns.
FAQs
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Do you design and manufacture custom below-the-hook devices?
Our engineers create custom below-the-hook devices for a wide range of industries, tailored to specific worksite and lifting requirements.
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Do you provide on-site inspections and repairs for existing below-the-hook equipment?
Reading inspects and repairs all types of existing below-the-hook devices, even ones we did not manufacture.
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Can you integrate a custom below-the-hook device with our existing crane or hoist?
Our engineers can design below-the-hook devices that integrate seamlessly with your existing cranes, hoists, and lifting equipment.
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Can you supply below-the-hook devices as part of a complete crane system?
When we design a complete crane system, we often supply below-the-hook devices to ensure the system can lift, move, and position loads as effectively as possible.
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Do you offer emergency service for below-the-hook equipment failures?
Yes, our emergency service teams are available 24/7 whenever your equipment malfunctions.
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What information do I need to request a quote?
To request a quote, please submit the following information.
- Target Completion Date
- Name of Project Lead
- Contact Phone and Email
- Tool Description
- Number of Tools Needed
- Description of the Crane’s Functionality
- Lift Operation (Manual, Electric, Pneumatic, Hydraulic)
- Number of Annual Cycles the Crane Will Perform
- System’s Desired Service Life
- Maximum Head Height in Your Facility
- Maximum Clearance Height in Your Facility
- Height of Destination
- Height of Origin
Please include any special considerations as well, to ensure your cranes are strong enough to carry out their required task. If there are any 3D models of the objects you’ll be lifting, please include those as well.
Quality Comes First
We Make Sure That Every Minute Detail Is Looked Into While Manufacturing Even The Smallest Product. Our Focus Is 100% On Client Needs And Satisfaction.
