French heavy lifting specialist Mediaco Heavy Lift used an Enerpac SL200 Super Lift hydraulic gantry system to move a massive industrial lathe from a factory in La Buffière, France.
The lathe, measuring 13 metres long, 2.2 metres wide, and 2.7 metres high, weighed 46 tonnes. It was lifted and carefully lowered onto a flatbed truck using the compact SL200 gantry, which proved essential in the factory’s tight working space. Once the lathe was suspended, the slide rails were removed, allowing the truck to reverse into position so the machine could be set down. The same process was then repeated for the lathe’s 41-tonne turntable, which measured 5.9 metres in diameter and 0.7 metres in height.
Thanks to previous experience installing the same lathe, Mediaco was familiar with the site’s spatial constraints. The Enerpac SL200 offered both the power and precision required for such a complex task.
Jean-Baptiste Rault, site manager at Mediaco Heavy Lift, led the project alongside operator Tom Grissault. “The Enerpac SL200 is ideal for this type of project thanks to the gantry’s small footprint,” said Rault. “It gives us an efficient alternative in locations where using a crane is not possible.”
The Enerpac SL200 gantry can lift up to 2000 kN and comes standard with Intellilift wireless controls for safe operation. Each leg features a self-contained hydraulic system, eliminating hose clutter and speeding up setup, making it a go-to choice for confined, high-stakes lifting operations.
