Freight elevator
What is a freight elevator?
A freight elevator is a heavy-duty lift designed for the vertical transport of goods, pallets, trolleys, and heavy equipment, often accompanied by one or more people. Unlike a standard goods-only lift, a freight elevator complies with the safety standards of Directive 2014/33/EU and allows operators to be present during loading and unloading.
SECA develops custom freight elevators for warehouses, factories, logistics centers, hotels, hospitals, and retail businesses requiring reliable, safe transport for heavy loads.
Capacities and sizing
Load capacity
SECA freight elevators are available in a wide range of capacities, from 500 kg for light-duty use to 25,000 kg and above for heavy-duty industrial applications. Exact sizing depends on the nature of the loads, the frequency of use, and the travel height.
Cabin dimensions
The cabin is sized to accommodate standard material handling equipment: manual pallet trucks, electric pallet trucks, or even counterbalanced forklifts. The doors are generally large (1,000 to 2,000 mm wide, 2,000 to 2,500 mm high) to facilitate maneuvering.
Technologies and powertrains
Hydraulic freight lift
The hydraulic solution is preferred for very heavy loads and short travel distances (up to 15 meters). It offers great robustness, precise leveling for easy loading, and an installation that does not require a rooftop machine room. Ideal for warehouses and industrial sites, this hydraulic freight lift solution allows for the use of large platform areas (load-per-area calculations differ under EN 81-20).
Electric freight elevator
For greater travel distances (up to 45 meters) or high usage frequency, an electric traction drive system with a variable frequency drive offers speed, precision, and energy savings. Regenerative braking allows energy to be recovered during the descent under load.
Features specific to freight elevators
- Reinforced flooring: enhanced resistance to point loads (e.g., trolley wheels)
- Wide-opening doors: sliding, hinged, or vertical-lift, depending on the configuration
- Dual access (opposite or perpendicular) to facilitate traffic flow
- Overload detection system with audible and visual alarms
- Cabin protection: protective rails, industrial-grade stainless steel lining
Hold-to-run controls for operator safety
Provision for load anchoring, AGV wire guidance, or other custom requirements
Application sectors
The SECA freight elevator is used across a wide range of sectors: manufacturing and logistics (transporting pallets and parts), retail and hospitality (inter-floor deliveries), healthcare (transporting hospital beds and equipment), shopping centers (store restocking), commercial buildings (archives, IT equipment), the food industry (stainless steel requirements), and the chemical or oil industries (ATEX zones)
Compliance and certification
Our freight elevators comply with the Lifts Directive 2014/33/EU and standards EN 81-20 and EN 81-50. Each installation undergoes inspection by an accredited notified body prior to commissioning.
