Need to move large or unwieldy materials quickly and with ease?
Looking for an alternative to tipper trucks or cranes?
Grab wagon hire from Grundy & Co Excavations Ltd is the best option for you!
What is a grab wagon?
Unlike an 8-wheel tipper truck which deposits goods and aggregates from a flap at the back of the vehicle, a grab wagon is a large lorry that moves goods with a hydraulic arm.
Just like a HIAB HGV, a grab wagon uses a built-in hydraulic arm to move the goods directly from the vehicle to the pavement or site as needed.
If you choose to hire a grab wagon from Grundy & Co Excavations Ltd, you can choose from short- and long-term hire as well as hourly rental.
Depending on how long you need it for, you can book your grab wagon hire, pick it up from our local North West depot, and then return it once you are done! Saving you thousands on the purchase price of a grab wagon of your own!
Benefits of a grab wagon
- Enhanced efficiency
Perhaps the biggest selling point of all, grab wagons can load and unload materials significantly faster than traditional manual methods or tipper trucks.
Plus, as the wagons can reach and operate in confined spaces without requiring additional equipment, pick-ups and drop-offs become faster and simpler.
- Efficient waste management
You can swiftly collect and dispose of 16 tonnes of waste, including soil, rubble, and construction debris, while also reducing manual loading and cutting labour expenses.
- Cost-effective solution
As a grab wagon can transport significant material volumes in a single trip, you will have reduced fuel consumption, transportation costs, and you won’t need to hire excavators or loading equipment.
- Multi-purpose functionality
As well as being able to handle diverse materials, grab lorries are suitable for various applications, including muck away services, site clearance, and aggregate transportation.
- Reduced physical labour
The hydraulic grab arm performs the lifting, reducing the manual workload for labourers. This also lowers the risk of manual handling injuries and accidents.
How far can a grab wagon reach?
Unless stated otherwise, grab wagon cranes (grabbers) can reach 8 metres – and this is always from the side of the vehicle, not over the front or back.
Drivers should consider this when parking up to make loading and unloading easier.
What licence do you need for a grab lorry?
To drive a grab lorry in the UK, you will need multiple qualifications:
For the lorry itself
- A Category C (Class 2) Licence – required for vehicles over 3.5 tonnes with a rigid body
- A Driver CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence)
For safe grabber use
- A HIAB (Hydrauliska Industri AB) or ALLMI (Association of Lorry Loader Manufacturers and Importers) certification – which covers safe operation and loading and unloading as well as risk assessment.
Extra qualifications that could be handy
If you work in construction, you might also need a CSCS (Construction Skills Certification Scheme) Card or an EPIC or MPQC Card for those involved in quarries and aggregate transport.
Is a grab lorry cheaper than a skip?
Whether a grab lorry is cheaper than a skip depends on several factors, including the amount of waste, location, and the type of materials being removed.
However, a grab wagon is likely to be cheaper if you:
- Have a large volume of waste – a grab lorry can remove up to 16 tonnes of waste in one go, something that would take multiple skip loads to complete.
- Need to be fast – with a grab wagon, there is no need to wait for a skip permit or manual loading. The grab arm loads and unloads large quantities in just minutes, making it ideal for inner-city or time-pressured locations.
- Want to keep costs down – to place a skip on public land, a skip permit is required, adding £30–£80+ to the cost. This is completely negated with a grab lorry.
If you are unsure at any time, the Grundy’s team would be happy to help. Just give us a call on 0151 257 8816to find out more.
Common grab lorry queries
As providers of both short- and long-term grab wagon hire, there isn’t much we haven’t been asked! Below are a few of our most common grab wagon FAQs.
No, a grab lorry is not designed for digging like an excavator or digger.
However, its hydraulic grab arm (grabber) can efficiently lift and remove pre-excavated or loose materials such as soil, rubble, and aggregates from the ground with ease.
It is possible to use a grab wagon to remove grass, turf with topsoil still attached, grass clippings, and other general garden waste.
However, grass and soil can be exceptionally heavy when wet, so be careful how much you load up – exceeding the capacity of the grab lorry (16 tonnes) can result in mechanical damage and load spillage.
Plus, some disposal sites need green (garden) waste to be separated from construction waste, so be sure to check before you load up!
Based in the North West, Grundy & Co can offer short- and long-term grab wagon hire anywhere within Merseyside and the surrounding areas, including Chester, the Wirral, St Helens, and Warrington.
To book a slot – which can be as little as an hour – or to ask any questions, call us on 0151 257 8816 or email sales@grundyandco.com.
Our experienced team can talk you through the whole process and book your vehicle if you decide to go ahead.
