GGR Group supplied specialist lifting equipment to support the installation of new shopfront glazing at a luxury goods company in Heathrow Terminal 5. The project involved handling several substantial glass panels inside the terminal, using an MFC 750 Mini Floor Crane alongside specialist glass vacuum lifting equipment.

With the installation taking place within an established indoor airport retail environment, the lifting solution needed to be compact, manoeuvrable and suitable for working around existing terminal infrastructure. The combination of manual and electric lifting equipment also meant no exhaust fumes were produced at the point of use, an important practical benefit for indoor work.

Transporting Specialist Lifting Equipment Through the Terminal

One of the key logistical considerations was getting the equipment to the shopfront itself.

Rather than positioning lifting equipment directly beside the project from an external construction area, the MFC 750 Mini Floor Crane, vacuum lifters and associated equipment had to be transported through Heathrow Terminal 5 to reach the installation location.

This made compact equipment particularly useful. The MFC 750 can be assembled and disassembled for transport and access into restricted areas, while its swivel castors are designed for movement across smooth, flat surfaces. Its counterbalanced design also removes the need for front outriggers beneath the load, helping the crane work close to an installation area.

Handling Large Shopfront Glazing Indoors

The glazing package included panels of several different sizes and configurations.

The largest panel weighed 335kg and measured 2820mm x 1901mm, while another large panel weighed 298kg and measured 2820mm x 2202mm. A 227kg middle panel measured 2820mm x 1284mm, alongside a curved 108kg panel measuring 2820mm x 726mm.

Although these loads were within the capabilities of the selected lifting equipment, their physical dimensions made controlled handling particularly important. With panels reaching approximately 2.82 metres in height, installers needed to raise, orientate and present the glazing towards the shopfront opening while working within the available space.

The curved panel added another configuration to the installation, requiring the same controlled approach while handling a non-standard piece of glazing.

Using the MFC 750 Mini Floor Crane

The MFC 750 provided the main lifting platform for the glass installation.

Designed specifically for confined working areas and for use with below-the-hook vacuum lifters, the floor crane combines a counterbalanced chassis with a hydraulic lifting arm. Depending on configuration, it has a lifting capacity of 745kg or 900kg and a maximum hook height of 2.9 metres.

For this project, those features were useful less because of maximum lifting capacity and more because of the crane’s compact format and ability to work close to the glazing.

The MFC 750 mobile floor-crane format allowed the lifting system to operate in an area where bringing in a much larger conventional crane would not have been practical. Its manual and hydraulic operation also meant there was no combustion engine producing exhaust fumes at the point of use. Combined with battery-powered vacuum lifting equipment, this created a lifting setup particularly well suited to an enclosed airport retail environment.

Vacuum Lifting for Controlled Glass Handling

The project also used the P11104 Intelli-Grip Dual Circuit Glass Vacuum Lifter and the higher-capacity GGR800+.

The P11104 has a 320kg capacity, 180° lockable rotation and manual tilting between vertical and horizontal positions. Its Intelli-Grip system continuously monitors factors including vacuum performance and battery condition, while two independent vacuum circuits provide separate vacuum reserves. The unit is powered by a rechargeable 12V onboard battery.

The GGR800+ provides a safe working load of 300kg to 800kg and also uses a dual vacuum circuit. It offers continuous 360° lockable rotation, 90° manual tilt and rechargeable onboard battery power, making it suitable for controlling substantial large-format glazing.

Positioning the Shopfront Panels

Once secured using the vacuum lifting equipment, the glazing panels could be raised, brought upright and carefully moved towards the shopfront opening.

The combination of the MFC 750 Mini Floor Crane and vacuum lifters gave the installation team controlled movement throughout the lift, helping them manage the size of the panels as they were positioned within the restricted retail environment.

This setup allowed the glass to be accurately presented for installation while keeping the lifting equipment close to the shopfront, avoiding the need for larger external lifting machinery.

Compact, Fume-Free Lifting for Indoor Glazing Projects

The Heathrow project demonstrates how compact floor cranes and vacuum lifting equipment can provide a practical solution when substantial glazing needs to be installed inside an established building.

For this installation, the MFC 750 provided the lifting platform, while the P11104 Intelli-Grip and GGR800+ provided controlled vacuum handling. The manual and battery-powered setup also avoided exhaust fumes at the point of use and removed the need for a combustion-powered crane inside the terminal.

For contractors working on shopfront glazing, retail fit-outs, airport projects or other restricted-access indoor installations, GGR Group can provide specialist lifting equipment designed to help handle and position large glazing where conventional lifting equipment may not be practical.