Wigan is a working town in the truest sense. Its industrial history runs deep, from coal mining and textiles through to the advanced manufacturing, logistics, and engineering sectors that drive its economy today. Across Ince, Hindley, Skelmersdale’s border fringe, and the busy commercial estates lining the A49 and M6 corridors, businesses of every size are grappling with the same core challenge: how to keep operations moving efficiently, safely, and cost-effectively in an environment where labour is expensive and the margin for error is shrinking.
For many of those businesses, the answer lies not in hiring more staff or reorganising workflows from scratch, but in equipping the workforce they already have with better tools. Jib cranes, and the Schmalz range in particular, represent exactly that kind of targeted, high-return investment.
The Real Value of Localised Lifting
There is a tendency in industrial settings to think of lifting equipment in terms of large-scale infrastructure: overhead gantry systems, fork lift fleets, heavy-duty conveyor lines. These all have their place, but they are blunt instruments when what a production cell or assembly station actually needs is precise, repeatable lifting within a defined zone.
That is exactly what a jib crane provides. A rotating boom, mounted either to a wall bracket or a freestanding column, carries a hoist across a working arc of up to 270 degrees. Operators can lift a component, swing it smoothly into position, and lower it exactly where it needs to go, without repositioning themselves, waiting for a fork lift, or calling on a colleague for assistance. The process is fast, quiet, and controlled; qualities that matter enormously when the same task is performed dozens of times every shift.
Wigan’s manufacturing and engineering businesses, many of which deal in metalwork, plastic fabrication, and specialist components, stand to gain directly from this kind of workstation-level efficiency. Faster cycle times, fewer interruptions, and better use of available floor space all follow naturally from a well-positioned jib crane.
Counting the Cost of Manual Handling
One of the most persistent drains on productivity in any industrial setting is something most businesses have simply learned to tolerate: manual handling injuries. These rarely announce themselves dramatically. More typically, they accumulate over weeks and months as workers absorb the physical strain of lifting, carrying, and awkward repositioning tasks that should never have been done by hand in the first place.
The statistics from the Health and Safety Executive make uncomfortable reading for any operations manager. Musculoskeletal disorders remain among the most commonly reported work-related health conditions across UK industry, with back and shoulder injuries accounting for a significant share of lost working days every year. For Wigan businesses, that translates into real financial exposure: sick pay, temporary cover, reduced output, and potential liability if an injury leads to a formal claim or HSE investigation.
Introducing a jib crane at the right point in a workflow removes the manual handling risk at source. A single operator can manage loads that would otherwise require two people and significantly more time, doing so consistently throughout a shift without fatigue building or technique deteriorating. That consistency is itself a safety gain; tired workers lifting awkwardly at the end of a shift are where many of the worst injuries occur.
Schmalz: Precision Engineering That Works Harder
Investing in a jib crane only makes sense if the system is reliable, easy to use, and genuinely suited to the environment it will operate in. That is where Schmalz earns its standing. Rather than producing a generic lifting solution, Schmalz has engineered a range of jib cranes that can be configured precisely for the demands of individual sites and applications.
The mounting options reflect practical reality. Some Wigan facilities are long-established operations with solid structural steelwork that can support a wall-mounted crane directly, saving floor space and simplifying installation. Others, particularly newer builds or open-plan warehouses, benefit more from a column-mounted freestanding unit that can be positioned independently of the building’s frame. Schmalz supports both approaches with equal capability, meaning the choice of configuration is driven by what works best on site rather than by what the product can or cannot accommodate.
Load ratings are handled with the same attention to operational detail. For applications up to 1,000 kg, aluminium crane rails keep the boom lightweight and responsive; operators find that even substantial loads move with minimal physical effort, making precise placement straightforward. Where loads exceed 1,000 kg, steel crane rails provide the additional structural strength required, without compromising the smooth, controlled feel that defines the Schmalz experience.
Component quality is visible throughout the system. The pivot bearing is maintenance-free by design, delivering consistent rotation from the first day of operation to the last, with no stiffening or resistance developing over time. Aluminium transport trolleys with high-performance plastic rollers run the length of the boom with minimal friction, giving operators accurate, responsive control over load positioning. Cable runs for both electrical supply and pneumatic hoses are managed through an integrated trailing cable system that keeps the working area clear and safe. For facilities where a completely uncluttered environment is a priority, an optional conductor line delivers power via insulated plastic rails, removing trailing cables from the equation entirely.
Turbo Vacuumentation Ltd: Wigan’s Trusted Schmalz Supplier
Getting the specification right is the difference between a jib crane that transforms a workflow and one that sits underused because it wasn’t matched properly to the task. Turbo Vacuumentation Ltd brings the product knowledge and application expertise to ensure the former outcome. As a trusted UK distributor of Schmalz crane systems, they support businesses from initial scoping through to installation and beyond, covering everything from individual jib crane installations to broader gantry crane requirements.
If your Wigan operation is ready to take manual handling off the table and put a smarter lifting solution in its place, Turbo Vacuumentation Ltd is the right starting point. Visit them at: https://www.turbo-vac.co.uk/crane-systems/jib-cranes/