GGR’s UNIC mini spider cranes are always working on new modern landmarks which use state of the art technology and feature the latest architectural trends. However, our mini machines and team of lifting specialists are equally at home when adding contemporary touches to some of the UK’s oldest historic buildings.

Working on listed buildings such as castles, cathedrals and chapels can be a challenge, but UNIC mini cranes are ideal for manoeuvring around tight spaces, travelling over uneven ground and moving through narrow access points on these protected sites.

A 6 tonne capacity UNIC URW-706 spider crane was able to navigate around trees and gravestones to remove a metal canopy from the restored Rossyln Chapel in Midlothian, Scotland. This heavy-duty mini crane was set up sturdily on the chapel’s grounds and had the reach required to lift steel from the roof of the 560 year old construction.

This smaller UNIC URW-095 mini crane was able to easily move through a small doorway at Ripon Cathedral to install a new glass entrance without damaging any of the structure. Low marking tracks can also be fitted to our mini cranes to make sure flooring isn’t disturbed and spillage kits are provided in case of any accidental oil leakages.

Ideal for renovating, refurbishing and remodeling protected landmark buildings, a UNIC URW-506 mini crane was hired to lift 150kg coping stones onto the roof of the derelict Astley Castle in Warwickshire. Once a manor fit for a queen (three Queens of England to be precise!), our compact crane also helped install glass units using a Four-In-Line lifter to turn these ruins into a hotel.

With the option of an LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) power supply, UNIC mini cranes can be also operated with only non-toxic fumes being released into sensitive environments such as these historic sites. When this UNIC URW-094 crane lifted ancient Roman sandstone slabs onto plinths inside the Hunterian museum in Glasgow, there was no danger of our machine’s fumes causing damage to these fragile stone artefacts. GGR’s range of Galizia pick and carry cranes are battery powered so are another compact, fume-free alternative option for lifting in restricted access areas.