A coil tong is a below-the-hook device that grips a horizontal steel coil on its outer surface with its arms and carries it with an overhead crane. To choose the right type, first establish the coil's weight, width and eye orientation, then how the gripping should work and how much headroom there is under the hook. The HENDL range has three drive types: the load-actuated mechanical tong, the remote-controlled electric tong and the handwheel-adjusted manual tong.
What to establish before selection
A tong quotation is only accurate when these points are clear from the start:
- The maximum coil weight and the position of its centre of gravity
- Coil width, outside diameter and inside diameter
- Eye orientation: horizontal or vertical
- Surface sensitivity: coated, painted or mark-sensitive surfaces
- Headroom under the hook and the crane's capacity
- Cycle frequency and shift pattern
- Whether power can be taken from the crane
A tong is not the right type for coils with a vertical eye; that case is covered further below.
Drive type: mechanical, electric, manual handwheel
The three types differ in how the arms open and close. The values below are the upper limits of each product family; not every combination of dimensions exists in a single model, and the exact model is set at the quotation stage. The two powered types are compared in detail in Mechanical or Electric Coil Tong?.
| Type | Gripping | Capacity (family upper limit) | Coil width |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electric Coil Tong | Remote-controlled arms | 50 tonnes | 300–2,200 mm |
| Mechanical Coil Tong | Load-actuated scissor linkage | 40 tonnes | 300–2,200 mm |
| Manual Handwheel Horizontal Tong | Handwheel-adjusted trapezoidal lead screw | 10 tonnes | 300–2,200 mm |
Mechanical: load-actuated closing and automatic latch
The Mechanical Coil Tong closes its arms without an electric drive, through a scissor linkage that works under the load during lifting. An automatic mechanical latch holds the arms open when unloaded and prevents them from opening during lifting. With no power supply needed, installation is simple; a parking stand is supplied.
Electric: remote control and centre detection
The Electric Coil Tong opens and closes its arms by remote control. Closing is permitted only when the coil centre is detected, arm opening is inhibited while carrying a load, and limit switches prevent excessive arm closure and coil compression. Motorized rotation is offered as an option for this product. The Electric Coil Tong suits high-cycle lines and places where operators should not approach the coil.
Manual handwheel: low headroom under the hook
The Manual Handwheel Horizontal Tong positions its arms with a handwheel on a trapezoidal lead screw; the handwheel applies no squeezing force to the coil. The lead screw has a self-locking tendency, but this is not a guaranteed safety lock and the product has no independent positive lock. Its compact layout is an advantage where headroom under the hook is limited.
Contact pads and protecting the coil surface
The surfaces where the arms touch the coil are chosen for the coil's surface sensitivity. The Mechanical Coil Tong comes with protective contact pads; the Manual Handwheel Horizontal Tong offers different pad options. For coated or painted coils, the pads are chosen at the quotation stage from the surface information.
When to choose a C-hook or a vertical-eye lifter instead
A tong grips the coil on its outer surface; Coil Tong or C-Hook? compares it with the C-hook in detail. In some cases another device is the better fit:
- The C-Hook passes its lower arm through the coil eye and carries the load from below; it does not squeeze the coil. The product family offers solutions up to 50 tonnes and coil widths of 300–2,200 mm.
- The Motorized Rotating C-Hook rotates the coil about its own axis while carrying it. Rotation configurations of 90° / 180° / 360° can be set up per project.
- The Vertical-Eye Coil Lifter carries coils with a vertical eye from below, on support legs lowered into the eye. For vertical coils this family is considered instead of a tong.
Standards asked for in specifications
EN 13155 is the European standard that sets safety requirements for non-fixed load lifting attachments used with cranes and hoists.
Whether an attachment falls within EN 13155, and which clause applies, is decided by engineering assessment of the specific design.
EN ISO 12100 sets out the method for risk assessment and risk reduction in machine design.
In the EU, the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC applies until 20 January 2027; from that date the Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 applies generally.
Specifications for US projects draw on different sources:
ASME B30.20 covers the marking, inspection, testing, maintenance and operation of below-the-hook lifting devices.
ASME BTH-1 gives structural, mechanical and electrical design criteria for below-the-hook lifting devices; it does not replace ASME B30.20.
Which requirements apply to your project is decided together with our engineering team at the quotation stage.
Information needed for a quotation
Sharing the following in the quotation form speeds up the process:
- Coil weight, width, outside and inside diameter
- Eye orientation and surface condition
- Crane capacity and headroom under the hook
- Cycle frequency and working environment
- Your preferred drive type or priorities
You can send the details through the quotation form.
Frequently asked questions
Should I choose mechanical or electric?
A mechanical tong stands out where no power supply is wanted and a simple solution is enough. An electric tong is the better fit for lines that need high cycles, remote control and coil centre detection.
My headroom under the hook is limited. Which type fits?
Where headroom under the hook is limited, the Manual Handwheel Horizontal Tong has the advantage of its compact layout. The exact fit is checked against the crane and coil dimensions at the quotation stage.
Can hot coils be handled?
Hot-coil applications are handled by project-specific engineering assessment; this guide gives no temperature value.