More about Lifting Slings



Although there are many different types of lifting slings, they can all be used for a variety of lifting purposes together with other hoisting equipment, webbing straps are popular along with chain slings, flat web slings, round slings, disposable one-way slings and wire rope as well as fibre rope slings: all lifting slings have different advantages and disadvantages and so will be better suited for some lifts more than others. Our team are happy to offer advice should you need help in choosing the best lifting sling for your lifting application. We make up many of our slings in our own factory so can be tailor made to suit. Repairs, testing and inspections of your lifting slings can also be carried out by our trained engineers.

How Lifting Slings Are Made By our Team

Here is a short video on how we make our lifting slings.





Chain sling

Chain slings are very versatile and can have 1,2,3 or 4 legs and can also be utilised in different hitch types and with many types of hooks and catches at the ends. Along with other connectors and masterlinks they can be adapted for many different types of loads. We also supply stainless steel chain and components alongside our standard steel chain, in grade 8 and 10 steel.



We stock quality components from top brands, including sets from Pewag, hooks from Rud, chains from Cartec and many more besides. Having such respected names available at competitive prices is a real boon. And on each product page you will find in-depth technical data to go along with basic information about the intended uses.

Round sling

Round lifting slings are continuously woven, both the core and outer, with no seams, making them soft and strong. They protect loads that may be easily damaged by other types of sling.



As well as being gentle enough to handle loads that are too fragile for abrasive metal chains, our round slings are super durable and will not succumb to the effects of repeated use quickly. Wear and tear will not be an issue and there are a wide variety of working load limits on offer. These slings can handle anywhere from 500 kilos to around 100 tonnes, which is an impressive feat.



To make things simple, these slings are colour coded. You will be able to get an idea of the load capacity of a sling at a glance thanks to this system.







Webbing sling - Flat Web Sling

Web slings are a flat sling woven from heavy duty polyester, they are lightweight and resistant to bacteria and mildew. They can also be used in basket, vertical and choker hitch types and can have an additional sleeve added for extra wear protection.



We can supply flat web slings which, like their round counterparts, are easy to distinguish from one another thanks to colour coding. This should leave no room for ambiguity during lifting operations and will ensure safety standards are maintained.



In terms of load capacity, this type of sling can be manufactured to work safely with weights of between half a tonne and 80 tonnes, with the aforementioned resilience of the material giving extra peace of mind.







Disposable One way Lifting slings

Disposable one way lifting slings were designed for one single use, and were used for a single loading and off-loading operation. However recent upgraded safety factors of 7:1 means more than one use is possible.



We manufacture our single use slings in-house, which means we can fulfil whatever specifications or order criteria you might have. If you need endless slings which can be adapted later with your own attachments, this is an option. If you want us to fit soft eyes to the slings before they are shipped, we can make the customisations that are necessary at our cutting edge production facility. We can even add padding to help with specific lifting tasks, just ask!







Fibre rope slings - Sling Rope

Fibre rope slings or sling rope is available in various types, with hand splicing. Different types of fibre rope will have different properties so check it is suitable for the purpose intended.



For example, our synthetic rope slings are a popular choice for applications where resistance to weathering is especially important. We offer both polypropylene and nylon fibre ropes, which can withstand exposure to moisture and other atmospheric conditions. If you would prefer to order natural fibre rope, we have sisal, manila and other materials to choose.



Further customisations to our fibre rope slings include different end termination options, including standard hooks and rings or specific shackles that are suitable for the lifting duties you want to achieve.







Wire rope slings

Wire rope slings can be custom made in any configuration to suit your requirements, with fuse and tapering, pressed end fittings and splicing, with a range of diameters and constructions available.



As well as standard steel wire rope, we can supply slings made using stainless steel wire rope. The latter delivers extra resilience and resistance to rust, especially in marine environments. Because we design and manufacture our slings ourselves, we can cater to every minute detail you might want to see in the finished product. No task is too big and no request too small for our expert team to fulfil.







Stainless steel lifting chains and components

Speaking of stainless steel, you can also get chains and components made of this hard wearing material. We can supply stainless steel products from Cromox, including sling and loading hooks, connecting links and lots more besides. We have a similarly broad selection of Gunnebo stainless steel chain parts. Just tell us the type of chain you want made and we can get to work with these high quality products.







Pump lifting chain

One of our most specific lifting sling products, our pump lifting chains fulfil an important role in the deployment of submersible pumps, allowing them to be raised and lowered smoothly and consistently.



Various grades of steel can be used in these chains, each of which is capable of surviving long periods complete submersion in water. You can also specify additional finishes, including an eye-catching polished look, if you have need of a tailor made pump lifting chain solution.







Wear sleeves

Wear sleeves come in a number of different designs, each of which offers its own benefits. They can be manufactured in whatever length you require, with a similarly extensive range of width options available to accommodate the lifting sling you want to protect.



Heavy and light duty webbing are offered, delivering varying levels of shielding against the typical wear and tear that a sling will encounter. Of course the added benefit is that the slings themselves will not leave their mark on the objects they are lifting or the equipment they are attached to when swaddled in a wear sleeve, which helps with lifting safety and durability.







Lifting Straps & Lifting Strops - equipment combinations

Depending on the lifting sling you choose, there are a number of different types of equipment that can be combined with lifting straps and lifting strops to manoeuvre loads efficiently and safely. There are a range of components you can choose from which can be added to some of our slings, for example you may need a thimble eye with safety hook spliced into a fibre rope sling or a master link with connectors and grab hooks, our webbing slings come with a soft eye at each end as standard.



Lifting Gear Direct can build custom crane and gantry systems. This includes jib cranes and lifting gantries of all shapes and sizes, tailored to your specifications and supplied with the hoisting device and lifting sling products that will help them work as intended. Our mobile gantries are similarly effective and adaptable; you just need the right lifting sling to take full advantage of what they have to offer.



Of course you may already have the lifting assembly you need, in which case our hoists and hoisting equipment could be your next port of call. From manual chain hoists to electric hoists and beyond, you have almost endless amounts of options in terms of the equipment you choose to combine with your lifting sling.







Lifting sling safety

We have touched briefly on some of the safety issues surrounding the use of lifting slings, as well as equipment in general, but it pays to consider this topic closely to ensure there are no nasty surprises around the corner.



Whether you choose a chain sling, a fibre rope sling or a pump lifting chain, keeping an eye on the load capacity that each lifting sling is rated to achieve safely is vital. It is better to give yourself a bit of leeway and have a WLL that is higher than the weight of the loads that you are intending to manoeuvre, rather than risking the alternative.



Regularly checking the state of repair of your lifting slings is similarly essential, as if you spot problematic wear and tear as soon as it emerges, you will not be putting employees at risk of injury.







Other lifting accessories

A lifting sling may be a good investment, but what if you are also in need of associated products to accelerate your operations? Lifting Gear Direct can supply lifting accessories and loose tackle of every major type to help you out.



Take a look at our lifting shackles, peruse our swivel eye bolts, spend some time with our snatch block range and you should be suitably impressed by the variety of products that are on offer.







Get in touch today

Browse our full selection of lifting slings below for full technical details and call our team on 01384 76961 to discuss any particularly specific requirements. You can also drop an email into our inbox with a question about our sling products. We can provide bespoke quotes and information whenever you need it.













