HIAB hire is one of the most practical and cost-effective lifting solutions available in the UK. The name HIAB comes from Hydrauliska Industri AB, the Swedish manufacturer that pioneered the truck-mounted crane in the 1940s. Today it is the generic UK term for a lorry-mounted crane.
What is a HIAB?
A HIAB crane is mounted directly on the back of a flatbed truck or rigid vehicle. Unlike a mobile crane or tower crane, it does not need to be transported separately — it travels to your site as part of the vehicle and is ready to work as soon as the truck arrives. The crane uses a series of hydraulic booms to lift, swing, and lower loads with precision.
How Does HIAB Hire Work?
When you hire a HIAB, you hire a truck with a crane fitted to it, plus a certified operator who is trained to assess and execute the lift safely. You tell us what needs lifting or moving, where it is, and where it needs to go. We confirm the right model and provide a quote. Our operator arrives, carries out a safety assessment, executes the lift, and leaves.
What is HIAB Hire Used For?
- Delivering and placing portable cabins, Portakabins and welfare units on construction sites
- Installing rooftop plant and equipment on commercial buildings
- Transporting and placing storage and shipping containers
- Moving heavy plant, compressors, generators and industrial machinery
- Events logistics — lifting containers, stage equipment and site infrastructure
- Residential deliveries — hot tubs, garden offices, large structures
- Utilities work — cable drums, transformers and substations
How is HIAB Hire Different from Crane Hire?
A traditional crane must be transported separately on a low loader, set up on site, and then dismantled afterwards. All of that takes time and cost. A HIAB crane drives to your site under its own power, is ready immediately, and drives away. For the vast majority of lifting jobs under approximately 25 tonnes with reasonable site access, a HIAB is faster, simpler and considerably more cost-effective.
Find out more about our HIAB crane hire service or get a free quote today.