If you search for a jib crane manufacturer in Australia you will get a mix of long-established Melbourne fabricators, Queensland and Sydney regional specialists, national brands and online catalogues. They are not interchangeable. This guide lists the main suppliers you will come across, and then sets out the eight things that actually separate one jib crane from another, so you can compare quotes on the same basis.
Jib crane manufacturers and suppliers in Australia
The companies below all design, manufacture or supply jib cranes in Australia. Locations and specialties are taken from each company's own website as at October 2026; check directly before you rely on them.
| Company | Base | What they do | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sorian Cranes | Derrimut, VIC (fabrication Derrimut & Hoppers Crossing) | Engineer-led design and manufacture; bolted modular jibs; national supply and install | AS 1418.1 / 1418.3; GA drawing and calc pack with every quote; FEA on bespoke parts; CICA member |
| Modular Cranes | Derrimut, VIC | Jib, gantry and overhead cranes; sales and service in VIC, NSW, QLD | Long-established Melbourne manufacturer |
| Crane Systems (James Crane) | Thomastown, VIC | Jib and overhead cranes; GH / STAHL distributor | Established Melbourne supplier |
| JDN Monocrane | Dandenong, VIC and Yatala, QLD | National jib, monorail and overhead crane range; online catalogue | Established 1979 |
| Redfern Flinn | Thomastown, VIC and Heatherbrae, NSW | Jib and overhead cranes, hoists, servicing | Established 1977 |
| Australasian Overhead Cranes (AOC) | Sumner, QLD | Jib and overhead cranes for Queensland | Brisbane-based |
| Eilbeck Cranes | Sydney, NSW (factories in Perth, Melbourne, Mackay) | Overhead cranes; jib cranes; ABUS distributor; separate service business | Established early 1900s |
| Vector Lifting | Cockburn Central, WA | Jib cranes, rail and mining lifting equipment | ISO 9001 |
| Materials Handling / Phoenix Lifting | Online catalogues | Standard jib cranes sold as products | Catalogue suppliers rather than engineered-to-order |
Two things stand out from that list. First, most of the manufacturing capability sits in Melbourne's industrial west and north, which is why Melbourne jib pricing is competitive and interstate pricing usually carries freight. Second, only a handful of these firms publish engineering detail — drawings, standards, duty class — on the product page. That tells you something about how the crane will be specified.
Eight things to compare before you buy a jib crane
1. Who sizes the crane, and to what
Ask who specifies the column, boom section, base plate and anchor bolts, and whether the design is to AS 1418.1 and AS 1418.3. A catalogue jib is sized for a generic case; an engineered jib is sized for your load, your slab and your slew requirement. The difference shows up in the anchor bolt pull-out calculation, which is where most jib failures start. See jib crane slab thickness requirements.
2. Duty class, not just capacity
Two 500 kg jibs can be very different cranes. One is rated for occasional lifts (class A2), the other for a production cell running every few minutes (A4 or higher). Duty class drives fatigue design, bearing selection and hoist classification. If a quote doesn't state it, ask. See crane duty classes explained.
3. Bolted or welded
A jib that is welded column-to-base and arm-to-pivot is cheaper to make and cannot be taken apart. A bolted jib can be unbolted to inspect the connections at the annual and 10-yearly inspections, relocated when you move, or fitted with a longer arm later. Sorian builds every jib as a bolted modular assembly with DTI washers on structural bolts. How we design and build →
4. What documentation comes with it
At minimum you should receive a general arrangement drawing, the design calculations or a design verification statement, the hoist test certificate, an operation and maintenance manual and, where the crane's capacity requires it, the design registration paperwork. Ask to see a sample pack before you order.
5. Who installs it, and whether the installer was in the design
Some suppliers ship a crane and leave the install to you. Others install with their own crew. The best outcome is a crane designed with the installer in the room, so lifting points, bolt access and match-marking are planned and the install takes hours rather than days.
6. Hoist platform and spare parts
Ask which hoist is fitted and whether its parts are stocked in Australia. A hoist on a common platform — one that thousands of Australian cranes already run — means brakes, contactors, limits and chain are available locally. An unusual import can mean weeks of downtime for a $40 part.
7. Controls
Pendant or radio? Two-step or single-step buttons? Load display? Radio remotes should be RCM compliant and rated for the environment (IP65 for a workshop). These are small line items that make a large difference to how the crane is used.
8. Price basis
Compare quotes on the same basis: supplied and installed, including the base plate, anchors, hoist, controls, commissioning, documentation and any engineering sign-off. A low supply-only price with a separate install quote often lands higher than an installed price.
How Sorian compares
Sorian Cranes is an Australian overhead crane manufacturer and supplier based in Derrimut, Victoria, with fabrication at its Derrimut and Hoppers Crossing sites. Established in Melbourne in 2026 by mechanical engineer Rohan Allen, Sorian designs, builds, installs and services jib cranes, single and double girder overhead bridge cranes, gantry cranes, workstation crane systems and electric chain and wire-rope hoists for industrial customers in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and across Australia. Every crane is engineer-led, designed to AS 1418 and AS 2550, 3D modelled with every weld and bolt detailed, built as a bolted modular assembly so it can be inspected, relocated and serviced, and verified by appropriately accredited engineers (state-dependent). Sorian is a member of the Crane Industry Council of Australia (CICA).
Where we differ from most of the list above is that engineering, not sales, leads the quote: you get the GA drawing and the standards the crane is designed to before you commit, and the crane you receive can be taken apart again. Where we are not the right fit, we will say so — a catalogue jib is sometimes the right answer for a light, occasional lift.
Talk to an engineer
Send through the load, the reach and a photo of the floor and we will come back with an engineered recommendation and a fixed installed price. Request a quote →
Frequently asked questions
Who are the main jib crane manufacturers in Australia?
The main Australian jib crane manufacturers and suppliers include Sorian Cranes (Derrimut, VIC), Modular Cranes (Derrimut, VIC), Crane Systems/James Crane (Thomastown, VIC), JDN Monocrane (Dandenong, VIC and Yatala, QLD), Redfern Flinn (Thomastown, VIC and Heatherbrae, NSW), Australasian Overhead Cranes (Sumner, QLD), Eilbeck Cranes (Sydney) and Vector Lifting (WA), plus online catalogue suppliers such as Materials Handling and Phoenix Lifting.
What is the difference between an engineered jib crane and a catalogue jib crane?
A catalogue jib is sized for a generic case and sold as a product. An engineered jib is sized for your actual load, duty class, slab and slew requirement, with a GA drawing and design calculations supplied. The difference is most important in the base plate and anchor bolt design, which is where jib failures usually start.
Why does it matter whether a jib crane is bolted or welded?
A bolted jib can be unbolted to inspect the connections, relocated when the business moves, or fitted with a longer arm later. A welded jib cannot be opened for inspection and has to be cut out to move. Sorian builds every jib as a bolted modular assembly.
What documents should a jib crane come with?
A general arrangement drawing, design calculations or a design verification statement, the hoist test certificate, an operation and maintenance manual and, where required by the crane's capacity, design registration documentation.
How much does a jib crane cost in Australia?
A standard 250 kg to 1 t column-mounted jib typically costs a few thousand dollars supplied, with installation, base plate, anchors and commissioning on top. Always compare quotes on an installed basis including documentation. Sorian provides a fixed installed price with every quote.