The Infrastructure industry ensures we can all get from A to B and vacuum lifting enables them to do the same. Vacuum lifting allows businesses within Infrastructure to securely lift and release loads with enhanced efficiency and precision. From road construction and railway projects to bridges, tunnels, harbours, and dredging operations, infrastructure contractors handle some of the largest and most critical components in modern construction. Vlentec supports civil engineering firms and public works contractors worldwide with vacuum lifting equipment that combines high lifting capacity, accurate placement, and protection of valuable surface finishes, helping projects stay on schedule and within budget.
For Infrastructure
The Infrastructure industry requires a diverse variety of materials to satisfy their project requirements. Vacuum lifting enables them to operate within the industry to lift and release many of these materials.
The powerful suction technology is strong enough to transport large, heavy slab loads for construction or industrial buildings. As well as being capable of lifting Stelcon-type plates frequently required within Infrastructure development. We can also provide lifting solutions for handling flexible or flanged pipes for processes such as dredging.
Infrastructure projects rarely involve a single type of material. On any given week, a contractor might be moving precast concrete tunnel segments, lowering large-diameter pipes into trenches, placing Stelcon plates to create temporary access roads, and handling steel sections for bridge work. Each of these tasks brings its own handling challenges, from preventing edge damage on precast elements to keeping coated pipes free of scratches and ensuring safe placement on uneven terrain. Vlentec vacuum lifters address all of these requirements with a single, versatile lifting tool that grips loads through controlled suction across a large contact surface, eliminating the dents, scratches, and surface damage that conventional rigging methods so often leave behind.
The same equipment delivers value during dredging and waterway projects, where flexible or flanged pipes need to be repositioned frequently as the work progresses. With both diesel-powered and electric configurations available, our vacuum lifters can be deployed on remote infrastructure sites without grid access, as well as inside urban environments where emissions and noise must be kept to a minimum. Mounted on an excavator or crane, a single vacuum lifter allows one operator to perform tasks that would otherwise require multiple riggers, reducing manpower and keeping crews out of the load’s danger zone.
Typical Infrastructure applications include road and rail construction, bridge and viaduct projects, tunnel boring and segment installation, quay wall construction in harbours, dredging and waterway maintenance, the placement of Stelcon plates for temporary roadways, and the handling of large pipes for sewer and culvert work. Across all of these tasks, Vlentec vacuum lifters help infrastructure contractors increase productivity, reduce damage costs, and maintain a strong jobsite safety record.
We are passionate about innovation and working together to engineer and deliver lifting solutions to elevate your business.
Why Vacuum Lifting?
Vacuum lifting has transformed the lifting industry and has provided a conclusion to the pursuit of a safe, efficient and sustainable heavy-duty lifting method. In Infrastructure, where projects often run on tight public deadlines and operate in busy urban or environmentally sensitive areas, every minute lost on rigging and every component damaged in transit puts pressure on schedules and budgets. Conventional handling tools such as chains, slings, and clamps create concentrated point loads that can damage precast concrete edges, scratch coated pipes, and crack the surface of Stelcon plates, leading to costly repairs and replacements.
Vacuum lifting eliminates these issues by securing loads through controlled suction across a large, even contact area, leaving edges, coatings, and surface finishes untouched. Operators stay clear of the load, lifting cycles become significantly faster, and material wastage is dramatically reduced. The result is a lifting method that improves productivity, lowers operational costs, and supports the sustainability goals that increasingly shape modern infrastructure projects.
About Vlentec
We have been pioneers within the vacuum lifting industry since 1983 and are now the leading global expert in the field. Our team of highly qualified, experienced engineers and our dedication to transparent customer communication has enabled our business to continue to innovate and elevate the pipe lifting industry. From our headquarters in the Netherlands, we serve customers worldwide with vacuum lifting equipment that is engineered, tested, and certified entirely in-house.
For the Infrastructure sector, this means decades of experience in supporting civil engineering firms, road and rail contractors, bridge builders, dredging companies, and public works specialists with vacuum lifting solutions tailored to their specific projects. Whether you are constructing a new motorway, building a tunnel, maintaining a harbour, or laying a sewer trunk line, our specialists work alongside your team to specify the right vacuum lifter and attachments. From the first consultation through installation, operator training, and long-term service support, we partner with our customers to make every lifting operation safer, faster, and more profitable.
Our Product Range
Our standard product range offers a selection of electric and diesel powered vacuum pipe lifters engineered to elevate your load lifting. For Infrastructure applications, we offer vacuum lifters in three standard capacities: 12,500 kg available in electric and diesel, 25,000 kg available in electric and diesel, and 32,000 kg in a diesel configuration for the heaviest infrastructure components. Each model can be combined with a wide range of attachments to suit specific materials, dimensions, and surface finishes, from precast concrete elements and Stelcon plates to large-diameter coated pipes and flexible or flanged dredging pipes. For projects with non-standard requirements, our engineering team develops custom-built vacuum lifting solutions, while rental and pre-owned units are available for short-term assignments and budget-sensitive operations.
Get In Touch
Are you ready to take your load lifting to the next level? Get in contact with our expert team today and we can get to work engineering the lifting solution to elevate your business. Whether you need to specify a vacuum lifter for a road or rail project, plan equipment for handling precast tunnel segments and bridge sections, or organize rental equipment for a dredging or harbour assignment, our specialists are ready to help you find the most suitable configuration for your operation.
