Choosing a scissor lift table sounds simple until you start looking at the options. Single, twin, high lift, low profile, loading dock, the list goes on, and the wrong choice means a table that sits too high to load, runs out of lift, or cannot take the weight. This guide walks through how to choose a scissor lift table for your operation, the main Marco types we supply, and what each one is actually built for. If you already know what you need, you can jump straight to the full Marco scissor lift table range.
What a Scissor Lift Table Actually Does
A scissor lift table raises and lowers a load to a comfortable working height, so your team is not bending, stooping or lifting off the floor all shift. The platform sits on a scissor mechanism that extends to lift and folds flat to lower. Set it at the right height and a packing, assembly or loading task that used to wreck backs becomes a steady, repeatable job. That is the whole point: less manual strain, fewer injuries, and faster, more consistent work.
The Four Things That Decide Which Table You Need
Before you look at any specific model, get clear on four things. Almost every selection comes down to these.
Load weight. How heavy is the heaviest thing you will put on the table? This sets your minimum capacity. Marco tables run from 500kg up to 10,000kg, so capacity is rarely the limit, but you size for the worst case, not the average.
Lift height (stroke). How far does the platform need to travel from its lowest point to its highest? This is the stroke. A simple working-height table needs very little. Feeding a load up to a mezzanine or platform needs a lot. Stroke is usually what rules a model in or out.
Closed height and footprint. How low does the table need to sit when loading, and how much floor space do you have? If a load is wheeled or pumped on from floor level, closed height matters as much as lift height.
The job and the load type. A pallet, a long board, a vehicle and a delicate sub-assembly all want different things. The load shape often points straight at the right type.
Matching the Type to the Job
Here is where each Marco type fits. Most operations land on one of the first three.
Single Scissor: the Everyday Workhorse
The single scissor lift table is the basic, multi-purpose model and the one most operations need. It covers general handling, bridging differences in level, and feeding production and logistics flows. Capacities run from 500kg to 10,000kg with strokes up to 2,000mm. A useful rule of thumb from Marco: a single scissor delivers a stroke of roughly the platform length divided by 1.5. Need more height than that, and you move up to a high lift.
Low Profile: Loading From Floor Level
When loads arrive on the floor, you want a low profile scissor lift table. Its closed height drops as low as 80mm, so pallets and trolleys roll on with minimal ramping. It handles Euro, CHEP and UK pallets and suits production lines and standalone workstations. Capacities run to 3,000kg.
U-Shaped: Pallet Truck Drive-On
A U-shaped scissor lift table is a low profile table with a U cut-out in the platform, so a pallet truck drives the load straight on from floor level with no ramp at all. If your team loads pallets by hand pallet truck all day, this is the one that saves them the most effort. Capacities run from 500kg to 2,000kg.
High Lift: When You Need Real Height
The high lift scissor table uses multiple stacked scissors to reach heights a single scissor cannot, with strokes up to 5,000mm and capacities up to 8,000kg. It works as a goods lift, a raised work platform, or a far cheaper alternative to a fixed elevator between two levels.
Twin Scissor: Long, Awkward Loads
For long or cumbersome loads, the twin scissor lift table sets two or more scissors end to end. That gives you the platform length and the capacity together, with platforms up to six metres and capacities up to 8,000kg. Think boards, profiles, pipe and other loads a standard table simply cannot support across its length.
Loading Dock: Vehicle to Dock
The loading dock lift table bridges the gap between vehicle and dock. It is built rugged for outdoor use and severe weather, and engineered to take the point loads of a vehicle driving across it. Capacities run from 2,000kg to 8,000kg.
Vehicle Carrier: Moving Vehicles Between Levels
The Marco vehicle carrier lifts and moves vehicles between levels, for workshops, showrooms and parking situations with limited space. Capacities run from 2,000kg to 3,500kg.
Economy Range: Standard and Ex-Stock
If a standard table does the job, the economy range gives you fixed sizes at 500kg, 1,000kg and 2,000kg with no customisation, which means a lower cost and a quicker supply. It is the sensible choice when you do not need anything bespoke.
A Related Option: PalletPal
Not a powered scissor lift, but worth knowing about. The PalletPal spring positioner self-levels as you load and unload, lowering under weight and rising as it lightens, so the top of the stack stays at a comfortable height without any controls. For repetitive manual palletising, it can do the job without electricity at all.
Electric or Hydraulic?
This is a common question, and the honest answer is that it is both. Marco scissor lift tables are electro-hydraulic: a hydraulic ram does the actual lifting, driven by an electric power pack. So you are not really choosing between electric and hydraulic, you are getting the two working together, with the power supply and voltage configured to suit your site.
Safety and OHS Act Compliance
Manual lifting and handling remain a leading cause of workplace injury in South African operations. Setting a load at the correct working height, rather than at floor level or above the shoulders, removes a large part of that risk. Used properly, a scissor lift table supports your obligations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (Act 85 of 1993) and the Ergonomics Regulations to reduce manual handling risk for your team. It is a practical, visible step that protects people and keeps the line moving.
Getting the Right Table for Your Operation
SCHE is the sole South African distributor of Marco scissor lift tables, supplied and configured to your load weight, lift height and footprint. If you are not sure which type fits your job, our product specialist Raymond Seef can talk it through based on your loads and your workflow. Use the enquiry form to request expert help and we respond within one business day.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size scissor lift table do I need?
Start with the heaviest load you will lift, the height you need to reach, and how low the table must sit to load. Those three numbers narrow it down fast. From there, the load type points to the right design.
What is the difference between a single and a high lift scissor table?
A single scissor gives a stroke of roughly the platform length divided by 1.5. When you need to lift higher than that, a high lift table stacks multiple scissors to reach up to 5,000mm.
Are Marco scissor lift tables electric or hydraulic?
Both. They are electro-hydraulic, meaning a hydraulic ram lifts the platform and an electric power pack drives it.
Can a scissor lift table be loaded by a pallet truck?
Yes. A low profile table loads with minimal ramping, and a U-shaped table has a cut-out so a pallet truck drives the load straight on from floor level with no ramp.
Do scissor lift tables help with OHS compliance?
They help. By presenting loads at a safe working height, they reduce the manual handling that the OHS Act and Ergonomics Regulations require you to control. They are one part of a wider safe system of work.