SHERPA Goods Only Lift: No Pit or Machine Room Required
Built for Warehouses, Factories and Distribution Centres
The SHERPA is Lödige’s goods only lift, a purpose-built freight lift for industrial and commercial environments where goods need to move between floor levels without staff accompaniment.
It carries loads of up to 4,500 kg to a lifting height of up to 18 metres, with two to six stopping points, and arrives as a fully freestanding structure with no need for a pit, a machine room, or any structural changes to the building.
All SHERPA installations integrate directly into existing buildings and racking systems. A ramp can replace the minimal pit depth required in standard configurations, making installation practical even where floor excavation is not possible. Cabin dimensions (width, depth and height) are fully customisable to suit the goods, handling equipment, and manoeuvring space required.
For applications where trained staff need to accompany the load, the ESCORTA goods attendant lift is the recommended alternative.
Match the Lifting Capacity of a Hydraulic Lift: Without the Complexity
Improve business productivity by moving more, in less time. The SHERPA delivers load capacities comparable to a hydraulic goods lift, up to 4,500 kg, without the associated infrastructure requirements. There is no pit to excavate, no machine room to build, and no structural alterations to the building. A self-supporting steel frame shaft is included as standard, and installation times are significantly shorter than hydraulic alternatives, resulting in a lower overall project cost and minimal disruption to your operations.
Benefits
SHERPA goods only lift technical data
| Load capacity | max. 4,500 kg |
| Nominal speed | 0.2 m/s |
| No. of stopping points | 2 to 6 |
| Sill load | 60% of the payload |
| Lifting height | Up to 18 m |
| Cabin width | 900 to 2,800 mm |
| Cabin depth | 1,200 to 4,500 mm |
| Cabin height | 1,800 to 2,800 mm |
| Passengers | Not allowed. Only goods |
| Shaft width | 1,270 to 3,600 mm |
| Shaft depth | 1,340 to 4.840 mm |
| Installation width/depth | Shaft width/depth + 40 mm circumferential |
| Shaft head height* | min. cabin height + 450 mm / max. cabin height + 950 mm |
| Pit depth* | 70 - 150 mm |
| Door configuration | One side loading and or through car loading possible |
| Power train | Electric with chain |
| Directives | Machine Directive 2006/42/EC DIN EN 81-31 (on the basis) |
* Depending on the load capacity
No pit is needed if a ramp will be used.
Special designs in terms of size, conveying height and material possible on request. Technical specifications for planning purposes only. Subject to change.
Design your SHERPA goods only lift online!
The Lödige approach enables various executions to accommodate special requirements and structural conditions. The SHERPA lift can be individually configured (up to 3,000 kg) in great detail In terms of size, lifting height, materials and look.
Possible applications of a SHERPA lift:
Production
In production environments, the SHERPA goods lift connects process stages across multiple floors without interrupting the workflow below. It handles raw materials, components and finished goods up to 4,500 kg, integrating directly into existing production facilities and racking systems with no structural modification required.
Cabin dimensions are customisable to suit pallets, trolleys, or oversized components specific to your production process.
Logistics and Distribution
In logistics centres and distribution warehouses, the SHERPA replaces slow forklift transfer stations with reliable, one-touch goods lift operation. Its freestanding, self-supporting structure integrates into both new-build and existing warehouse environments, including mezzanine floor access, without requiring pit excavation or a dedicated machine room.
With a capacity of up to 4,500 kg and a lifting height of up to 18 metres, it handles the throughput demands of busy distribution operations.
Event and Shopping Centres
In retail and event venues, goods movement must be fast, reliable, and kept away from visitor areas. The SHERPA integrates into back-of-house and service areas within existing buildings, enabling stock, equipment, and supplies to move between levels discreetly and efficiently.
Its self-supporting shaft requires no machine room and minimal pit depth, making it suitable for heritage buildings and older retail environments where structural changes are restricted.
Hospitals
In healthcare settings, the SHERPA supports the movement of medical supplies, catering deliveries, clean linen, and waste between service floors, taking pressure off passenger lifts and bed lifts that are not designed for regular goods transport.
With a capacity of up to 4,500 kg and full customisation of cabin dimensions, it suits service corridors and back-of-building delivery routes in both new healthcare facilities and existing hospital estates.
Warehouse benefits of the SHERPA goods only lift
This installation highlights several practical advantages of the SHERPA goods lift in a working warehouse environment. The self-supporting shaft requires no pit excavation, allowing installation alongside existing racking without disruption to operations.
The integrated inspection hatch, positioned above the top landing door, provides direct access to the drive mechanism without the need for scaffolding or structural extensions, significantly reducing maintenance time and cost. For warehouses currently using forklift transfer stations between mezzanine levels, the SHERPA offers a safer, more space-efficient alternative.
Dimension your goods lift correctly - in 3 steps
Discover how to plan the most efficient goods lift for your project
What is to be transported? What is the manoeuvring space? What is the weight load? This whitepaper guides you through the essentials of goods lift dimensioning.
Find out more about Lödige lift solutions
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goods only lift product brochure
SHERPA Goods only lift -
Planning guideline for goods lift SHERPA
Goods lifts planning made easy - Understanding and applying shaft dimensions - Dimensioning pits and ramps correctly -
Planning Bundle SHERPA (UK)
Cabin size: 1400 x 2000 x 2000 mm Tender specification, sample drawings (pdf & dwg)
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
A goods-only lift, also referred to as a freight lift or cargo lift, is a lift designed specifically for transporting goods between floor levels in industrial and commercial buildings.
Unlike passenger lifts, goods-only lifts are not permitted to carry members of the public, and are built to comply with the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC rather than the Lifts Directive.
Goods-only lifts are used across a wide range of sectors including warehousing, manufacturing, retail, healthcare and hospitality. They are typically freestanding, require no machine room, and can be integrated into existing buildings with minimal structural works.
The SHERPA is Lödige’s goods-only lift model, designed for applications where goods move between floors without staff accompaniment. For accompanied goods transport, see the ESCORTA. Or, see our full range of goods lifts.
The SHERPA is Lödige Industries' goods-only freight lift, designed for the movement of goods in warehouses, factories, distribution centres, and other commercial and industrial settings.
It carries loads of up to 4,500 kg to a lifting height of up to 18 metres, with between two and six configurable stopping points. The SHERPA is delivered as a fully freestanding structure with a self-supporting steel frame shaft.
No pit is required, a low ramp can be used in place of a pit where floor excavation is not practical. No machine room is needed and no structural modifications to the building are required, making it one of the fastest goods lifts to install on the market.
It is suitable for integration into both new-build and existing buildings, including racking systems.
The SHERPA offers several practical advantages over hydraulic goods lifts and traditional freight lift solutions:
No pit required: a low ramp replaces the pit, making installation possible where floor excavation is impractical or cost-prohibitive.
No machine room: the control cabinet attaches directly to the shaft, saving space and simplifying installation. Freestanding self-supporting structure: no structural changes to the building are needed. The lift integrates into existing buildings and racking systems with only minimal anchor connections.
High capacity: up to 4,500 kg load capacity, comparable to a hydraulic lift, in a significantly more compact and cost-effective package.
Fast installation: installation typically completes in as little as one week, minimising disruption to your operations.
Fully customisable: cabin width, depth and height are all configurable to suit your specific goods, handling equipment, and available space.
The SHERPA is designed to be straightforward to operate for warehouse and industrial staff. The control cabinet is mounted directly to the lift shaft as standard, which removes the need for a separate machine room and keeps the installation footprint compact.
If required, the control cabinet can be repositioned to a nearby wall up to 10 metres from the shaft. useful where the shaft position makes direct mounting impractical. The SHERPA's controls are intuitive and the lift requires no specialist operator training beyond a standard site induction.