GGR Group
GGR Group is a UK specialist lifting equipment provider operating the country's largest restricted-access lifting hire fleet, supplying mini spider cranes, glass vacuum lifters, tracked carriers, and pick and carry cranes to construction, glazing, civil engineering, and rail customers via three UK depots and a European and UAE dealer network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersPreston, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What GGR Group does
GGR Group is a UK-based specialist lifting equipment provider founded in 1995, operating the country's largest specialist lifting hire fleet across three depots in Oldham (Manchester), Haddenham, and Glasgow. The company's portfolio centres on restricted-access and precision lifting equipment — mini spider cranes (notably as the official European master distributor of UNIC Cranes), glass vacuum lifters with dual-circuit failsafe systems, tracked carriers and levellers for rough-terrain material transport, pick and carry cranes from 2t to 42t capacity, mini crawler cranes, articulated hydraulic jib cranes, glazing robots, overhang beams, cladding lifters, and battery-powered levelling yokes. Over 85% of the fleet is battery, electric, or otherwise sustainable-powered, positioning the company in the zero-emission indoor and clean-air-zone use cases.
The business operates four complementary revenue streams: equipment hire (short and long-term, including what the company describes as the UK's largest and highest-capacity specialist lifting hire fleet), equipment sales (new and used, through an online shop for accessories and direct sales for larger units), contract lift services (operated hire with CPCS A66 certified operators, lift planning, CAD expertise, and technical support), and accredited training (RTITB and CPCS courses via the GGR Training division). Distribution combines direct sales through the three UK depots with a dealer network across Europe and the UAE, and six vertical-specific sub-brands: UNIC Cranes Europe, GGR Glass, GGR Rail, Electric Telehandlers, Multi-Loaders, and GGR Training. Customers span construction, glazing, civil engineering and infrastructure (including named enterprise customer Riverlinx on the Silvertown Tunnel project), and rail, utilities, and industrial sectors.
Recent strategic activity is heavily weighted toward product launches (at least 12 new SKUs in 2025-2026, including the ECube lithium battery pack, GF420 42t pick and carry crane, M-Crane 1030 RT, and Palfinger PCC 115.002) and capability extensions through distribution partnerships (notably Ganterud levelling yokes). Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The company is privately held with no disclosed parent entity or institutional investment, appears founder- or management-owned, and operates with 101-250 employees.
GGR Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- GGR Group
- Legal name
- GGR Group
- Website
- https://ggrgroup.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- GGR Group is a UK specialist lifting equipment provider operating the country's largest restricted-access lifting hire fleet, supplying mini spider cranes, glass vacuum lifters, tracked carriers, and pick and carry cranes to construction, glazing, civil engineering, and rail customers via three UK depots and a European and UAE dealer network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
GGR Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialist Lifting Equipment Hire and Sales
- NAICS
- Material Handling Equipment Manufacturing (33392), Industrial Truck, Tractor, Trailer, and Stacker Machinery Manufacturing (333924), Construction Machinery Manufacturing (333120)
- SIC
- Construction Machinery & Equip (3531), General Industrial Machinery & Equipment (3560)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Lifting & Hoisting Rental & Leasing (IMAHAJAN)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Cranes & Heavy Lifting Equipment Rental/Leasing (TLABAFAD), Hoists (Electric, Manual & Pneumatic) (IMAHAJAG)
Keywords
Where GGR Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Preston
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
GGR Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Equipment Hire: Specialist lifting equipment available for short and long-term hire from UK's largest specialist lifting hire fleet
- Equipment Sales: New and used specialist lifting equipment sold directly to customers
- Contract Lift Services: Full contract lift service including crane operator hire with CPCS A66 certified operators, lift plans and technical support, CAD expertise
- Training Services: RTITB and CPCS accredited training centre offering courses for crane operators, vacuum lifter operators, and equipment users
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Equipment Hire |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Equipment Purchase |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Contract Lift Services |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Training Services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
GGR Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
GGR Group supplies, hires, and operates specialist lifting equipment including mini spider cranes, glass vacuum lifters, tracked carriers, tracked levellers, pick & carry cranes, glazing robots, and related access equipment. The company also delivers contract lift services with CPCS A66-certified operators, CPCS and RTITB accredited training courses, and in-house equipment repair, lift planning, and CAD design support.
Product overview
GGR Group is not a single unified software product but a specialist lifting equipment company offering a broad, modular portfolio of physical equipment and services for hire and purchase across the UK and internationally. The core product portfolio spans: Mini Spider Cranes (UNIC URW series — URW-094 through URW-1006, including the Eco battery-powered range and UM445 lithium model); Glass Vacuum Lifters (Woods Powr-Grip, Hydraulica, Kombi, and GGR-branded models ranging from 70kg to 8500kg); Tracked Carriers and Tracked Levellers (1.5 FX through 6.0 capacity, with crane attachment variants); Pick & Carry Cranes (TMC, GF, G, Multis, GK, MC, F-series from 2t to 42t capacity, many battery-powered); Mini Crawler Cranes (MCC series from 990kg to 10t); Hydraulic Jib & Knuckle Boom Cranes (TMC articulated crawler series including Li-ion electric variants); Special/Trailer Cranes (Starworker, Palfinger PCC, UNIC Cube, tracked steel beam lifters); Overhang Beams (Libro range from 250kg to 20,000kg with up to 5m overhang depth); Ganterud Levelling Yokes (battery-powered automatic load balancers from 3t to 20t); Floor Cranes (Glassboy, Big Foot, Slewboy, Liftboy, GML, Green Lifter series from 250kg to 900kg); Glazing Robots (Oscar, Atom, Geko, Cobra, Sky Robot, HOMER series from 175kg to 1500kg); Cladding Lifters (CladKing, Mini-Clad, Clad-Man, Flexi-Clad, Fork Lift Multi-Clad); Stone Lifters; Telehandlers (electric and Stage V diesel from 2600kg to 4500kg); Ladder Hoists; Trolleys & A-Frames; and Powered Access (scissor lifts). Over 85% of the hire fleet is battery, electric, or otherwise sustainable. The portfolio is supported by service brands (GGR Training, GGR Glass, GGR Rail, UNIC Cranes Europe, Electric Telehandlers, Multi-Loaders, Used Mini Cranes) and complementary services including Contract Lift, Operator Hire, Lift Planning, CAD Expertise, and Equipment Repair across three UK depots in Manchester, Haddenham, and Glasgow.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- UNIC Cranes Europe: European master distribution of UNIC mini spider cranes and lifting equipment
- GGR Glass
- GGR Training
- GGR Rail
- Electric Telehandlers
- Multi-Loaders
Products and services
- Equipment Hire Services Hire of the UK's largest and highest-capacity specialist lifting hire fleet, including mini spider cranes, glass vacuum lifters, tracked carriers, pick & carry cranes, glazing robots, and associated equipment, available on self-drive hire or operated hire. Targeted at construction, glazing, civil engineering, rail, utilities, and industrial contractors requiring temporary lifting capacity.
- Equipment Sales Sale of new and pre-owned specialist lifting equipment from leading manufacturers including UNIC Cranes, GGR Glass, Ganterud, and Hörmann. Available to UK and international buyers across construction, glazing, and industrial sectors.
- Contract Lift Services Operated lift solutions provided by CPCS A66-certified operators with full lift planning, method statements, and on-site risk assessment. Designed for clients needing complete lift packages including qualified personnel rather than equipment-only hire.
- Training Services CPCS and RTITB accredited training courses delivered at GGR's training centres covering slinging, signaller duties, crane operation, glass handling, and other lifting-related certifications. Provided to construction, glazing, and industrial operatives.
- Equipment Repair, Parts and Service In-house equipment repair, scheduled servicing, LOLER inspections, and parts supply for the GGR hire fleet and customer-owned lifting equipment. Targeted at fleet operators and owners of specialist lifting machinery.
- Mini Spider Cranes (UNIC URW Range) Compact tracked spider cranes with lifting capacities from 0.995t to 10t, including the URW-094, URW-095, URW-295, URW-365, URW-376, URW-506, URW-547, URW-706, URW-1006, and V-457 Evolution. Suited to indoor, restricted-access, and clean-air construction sites, glazing installations, and steel erection.
- Glass Vacuum Lifters Vacuum lifting attachments for glass panels and curved glazing, including manual, electric, and battery-powered units with lifting capacities from 70kg up to 8500kg, featuring dual-circuit vacuum systems and Intelli-Grip control. Used by glazing contractors, façade installers, and curtain wall specialists.
- Pick & Carry Cranes Mobile pick & carry cranes with capacities from 2.5t up to 42t, including the Mini Crane 2.5t, Glass Boy, Merlo, and 42t heavy-duty pick & carry unit. Used on construction sites, industrial facilities, and glazing installations where on-site mobility is required.
- Tracked Carriers and Tracked Levellers Tracked dumpers, tracked access carriers, tracked tipper dumpers, and self-levelling tracked chassis units used to transport materials and equipment across rough, soft, or restricted-access terrain on construction sites.
- Glazing Robots Remote-controlled glazing robots including the Smart Lift 1500, Sky Robot 1500, and 1500 Iron Bird, designed for installing heavy glass and façade panels on high-rise construction sites. Targeted at specialist glazing and curtain wall contractors.
- Mini Crawler Cranes Compact tracked crawler cranes including the GGR-BFB 4.2T-1, GGR-BFB 4.2T-2, and GGR-BFB 7T-2 used in confined construction sites, basement construction, and indoor lifting applications.
- Hydraulic Jib Cranes, Overhang Beams and Floor Cranes Counterbalance jib cranes including the EJC-1, floor cranes such as the Trolley Lift 550kg and Forklift Floor Crane 2T, and overhang beams for low-headroom and indoor lifting scenarios on construction and industrial sites.
- Levelling Yokes (Ganterud) Automatic self-levelling yokes manufactured by Ganterud, used with mini spider cranes to maintain level loads over uneven terrain. Available in multiple configurations for varying load weights.
- Cladding Lifters, Telehandlers and Special Cranes Cladding lifting systems, telehandlers, all-terrain mobile cranes, and bespoke trailer-mounted cranes for niche construction, industrial, and rail applications.
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to 25° gradient capability with Tracked Leveller 6.0
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use GGR Group
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
GGR Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
GGR Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- UNIC Cranes EuropecoreGGR Group serves as the official European master distributor of UNIC Cranes, offering first-class advice on all product range and unbeatable after-care service. This exclusive distribution partnership covers the entire European market for UNIC mini spider cranes.
- GGR GlassminorOne of GGR Group's own brands focused on glass-related lifting solutions and services
- GGR TrainingminorGGR Group's training division providing RTITB and CPCS accredited training courses for lifting equipment operators
- GGR RailminorGGR Group's specialist division focused on rail industry lifting solutions
- Electric TelehandlersminorGGR Group brand focused on electric telehandler products and solutions
- Multi-LoadersminorGGR Group brand for multi-loader material handling equipment
- GanterudcoreUK distributor for Ganterud levelling yokes - specialist lifting attachments designed to automatically balance and level loads during lifting operations. GGR Group offers Ganterud products for hire or purchase as the UK distributor.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
GGR Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Speedy Hire: UK-listed equipment rental provider offering a broad range of tools and plant hire including lifting equipment. Competes with GGR in the UK hire market but does not specialise in restricted-access mini cranes or glass vacuum lifters.
- Boels Rental: Major European equipment rental company with significant UK presence and a broad portfolio including aerial platforms, telehandlers, and specialist lifting. Overlaps with GGR on cranes and material handling but at much wider portfolio scale.
- Ashtead Group (Sunbelt Rentals): FTSE 100 equipment rental group operating Sunbelt Rentals in the UK and North America. Provides general plant hire including lifting equipment; a broad incumbent that could expand into GGR's specialist categories.
- Liebherr: Global manufacturer of mobile, crawler, and tower cranes. A broad incumbent in lifting whose compact crane lines overlap with GGR's mini and pick & carry crane categories at higher capacity tiers.
- Manitowoc Cranes: Manufacturer of lattice-boom crawler cranes, mobile cranes, and boom trucks. Sits above GGR in lifting capacity but is an incumbent whose dealer network competes for the same industrial lifting customers.
- Tadano Demag: Manufacturer of all-terrain, rough-terrain, and crawler cranes. Overlaps with GGR's industrial lifting customers but operates at heavier capacity tiers; relevant comparator for restricted-access urban lifting applications.
- Manitou Group: Global manufacturer of telehandlers, aerial platforms, and material handling equipment. Directly comparable to GGR's electric telehandler brand (Multi-Loaders/Electric Telehandlers) on product line and customer base.
Direct peers
- Maeda Seisakusho: Japanese mini spider crane manufacturer directly competing with UNIC in the segment GGR distributes. Highly comparable on product offering and target use cases (restricted-access lifting), and a potential substitute supplier if the UNIC relationship changes.
- Jekko Minicrane: Italian mini spider crane manufacturer with active UK distribution. Competes head-to-head with UNIC products on capacity, lifting height, and restricted-access use cases that mirror GGR's core hire portfolio.
- Valla Cranes: Italian manufacturer of pick & carry cranes and mini cranes including electric models. Direct overlap with GGR's pick & carry range (e.g., GF series, MC series) on product type and industrial customer use cases.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
GGR Group social profiles
Digital presenceGGR Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
GGR Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
GGR Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries6 records
GGR Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
GGR Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about GGR Group
What does GGR Group do?
GGR Group supplies, hires, and operates specialist lifting equipment including mini spider cranes, glass vacuum lifters, tracked carriers, tracked levellers, pick & carry cranes, glazing robots, and related access equipment. The company also delivers contract lift services with CPCS A66-certified operators, CPCS and RTITB accredited training courses, and in-house equipment repair, lift planning, and CAD design support.
Is GGR Group a public or private company?
GGR Group is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was GGR Group founded?
GGR Group was founded in 1995. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is GGR Group based?
GGR Group is headquartered in Preston, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does GGR Group make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Equipment Hire is the primary driver. The others are equipment Sales, contract Lift Services and training Services.
Who are GGR Group's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Speedy Hire, Boels Rental, Ashtead Group (Sunbelt Rentals), Liebherr, Manitowoc Cranes, Tadano Demag and Manitou Group. Direct peers are Maeda Seisakusho, Jekko Minicrane and Valla Cranes.
Does GGR Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for GGR Group.
What industry is GGR Group in?
GGR Group's product category is Specialist Lifting Equipment Hire and Sales. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAHAJAN, Lifting & Hoisting Rental & Leasing, with a secondary code of TLABAFAD, Cranes & Heavy Lifting Equipment Rental/Leasing. Its NAICS code is 33392 and its SIC code is 3531.