Grab-O-Matic is a range of mechanical forklift drum handling attachments, manufactured exclusively by St Clare Engineering at our facility in Eastleigh, Hampshire, UK. We are the sole worldwide manufacturer of the Grab-O-Matic range. There is no other source, no licensed copy, and no equivalent product made anywhere else in the world.

If you handle steel, plastic or fibre drums in an industrial operation, the Grab-O-Matic range is designed to allow a forklift truck to lift, move, tilt and rotate those drums safely, quickly and reliably. The attachments are entirely mechanical, requiring no electrical connections and no hydraulics. A unique Quick Release System, available across most of the range, allows the operator to attach and remove drum handling equipment without leaving the cab.

This article explains what Grab-O-Matic attachments are, how they work, what makes them different, and what the full range covers. If you are trying to decide which attachment is right for your operation, our Ultimate Guide to choosing the right drum handling attachment covers the selection process in full.

How Grab-O-Matic drum handling attachments work
The Grab-O-Matic range is entirely mechanical. There are no electrical connections to the forklift, no hydraulic lines, and no power source of any kind required. The attachments operate through a combination of springs, levers and the physical movement of the forklift itself.

In a typical Grab-O-Matic rim gripper, the gripping jaws are held open by springs. The forklift drives the attachment over the drum, then the drum's own weight closes the jaws automatically and securely. When the drum is set down, the springs release and the attachment is ready for the next drum. Fitting the attachment to the forks is straightforward and requires no specialist tools.
Because Grab-O-Matic attachments require no hydraulic or electrical connection, they fit virtually any forklift truck: counterbalance, reach truck, electric, diesel or gas powered, regardless of age, brand or specification. For operations upgrading to electric forklifts, this is a practical advantage — the same attachment works across every truck on site without modification or compatibility concerns.

All frames and pillars are made from 6 to 12mm steel. Every unit is manufactured to IS0 9001:2015, proof load tested before leaving the factory and issued with a Safe Working Load certificate. CE and UKCA certification is standard across the range.

The advantages of mechanical drum handling
The decision to keep the Grab-O-Matic range entirely mechanical is not a compromise — it is the reason the product has remained the right solution for industrial drum handling for over 65 years. The advantages of mechanical operation over hydraulic or electric alternatives are covered in detail in our mechanical vs hydraulic drum handling guide, but the core arguments are worth setting out here.

Reliability is the most significant advantage. A mechanical attachment has springs, levers and pivot points. There are no hydraulic seals to perish, no hoses to crack or leak, no electrical connectors to corrode, no solenoids or valves to block. Fewer components means fewer failure points. In a busy operation, an attachment that simply works, shift after shift, year after year, is worth considerably more than one with lower upfront cost but higher maintenance demand.

Simple maintenance. Because the only consumable is occasional lubrication, there are no unscheduled maintenance events driven by fluid changes or seal replacement cycles. Performance does not degrade with fluid condition or seal wear. The annual LOLER service is the primary maintenance touchpoint, and between services the attachment performs consistently with weekly or monthly light oil lubrication.

Performs in hot or cold conditions. Mechanical operation means the attachments are unaffected by temperature extremes. Hydraulic fluid viscosity changes in cold and heat, affecting performance and accelerating seal wear, but mechanical systems have no such sensitivity. Grab-O-Matic attachments are in daily use in environments ranging from cold storage facilities to desert operations exceeding 45 degrees Celsius, performing identically in both.

ATEX performance. Finally, mechanical attachments carry no ignition risk. For operations in ATEX-classified areas, St Clare Engineering's dedicated stainless steel ATEX drum handling range carries the formal certification required for use in Zone 1 and Zone 2.

The Quick Release System
One of the most distinctive features of the Grab-O-Matic range is the Quick Attach and Release System, a St Clare Engineering invention that allows a forklift operator to attach and remove drum handling equipment without leaving the cab.

Without a quick release system, securing a drum handling attachment to a forklift requires the operator to dismount, manually fit T-bolts or chains, and tighten them by hand. Every change of attachment, such as switching between drum types or returning to pallet handling, means the same process in reverse. In a busy operation where the truck handles both drums and pallets across a shift, that adds up to significant lost time and repeated exposure to the risks of dismounting.

The Grab-O-Matic Quick Release System eliminates this entirely. A carriage hook plate, just 300mm wide, is bolted to the centre of the fork truck carriage and stays there permanently without interfering with normal pallet lifting. The operator drives forward to insert the forks into the attachment's fork pockets. When the forks are raised, a spring-loaded lever locks automatically behind the carriage hook plate. The attachment releases only when it is lowered back to the ground, at which point the forks withdraw cleanly. The whole sequence takes seconds, from the cab, with no manual intervention.

The Quick Release System is available across most of the Grab-O-Matic range, including drum rotators, waist gripper drum handlers, base grippers and many bespoke items, and in both painted mild steel and stainless steel. It can also be specified with ATEX certification for hazardous environments. More than 150 units are currently in use worldwide, with consistently positive feedback from operators.

The Quick release system is not only safer but more efficient, so the return on investment in terms of time savings is measured in weeks or months rather than years.

The Grab-O-Matic product range
The Grab-O-Matic name covers a wide range of drum handling solutions. The right product for any given operation depends on the drum type, weight and dimensions, the handling environment, and whether any secondary function such as tilting or rotating is needed.

Drum handling attachments by grip type
• Rim grippers: grip the drum at the rim. Suitable for tighthead and open top steel drums and plastic L-ring drums. The most widely used attachment type for standard 205 and 210 litre drums.
• Waist grippers: grip the drum around the centre of the drum under the rolling rim. Suited to drums with consistent diameter and pronounced rolling rims.
• Base grippers: grip from the base. Used where access to the rim or waist is restricted, or where the drum's construction makes other grip types unsuitable.
• Drum rotators: lift, transport and tilt or rotate the drum for controlled pouring or emptying. Available in fork attachment or overhead crane configurations.
Specialist and sector-specific attachments
• ATEX stainless steel drum handlers for Zone 1 and Zone 2 hazardous area classifications. No electrical components, no hydraulic fluid, no ignition source. Fully mechanical, fully ATEX rated.
• Pedestrian drum handlers: operator-walked units for moving drums without a forklift. Suitable for confined spaces, restricted areas, and operations where a fork truck is not available or practical.
• Whiskey and wine barrel handling attachments: bespoke and standard attachments for distillery and winery operations, handling wooden casks and barrels of varying sizes and weights.
• Reel Pole handling attachments: for cable drums, carpet roll, reels and similar cylindrical loads.
• Liftomatic attachments: a licensed range from Liftomatic Material Handling, the US manufacturer. Liftomatic manufacture a unique 4 drum overhead unit for high volume drum handling, available through St Clare Engineering for UK and international customers.
• Alternative attachments: for non-standard drums, oversized containers, and applications outside the standard range.

Additional equipment
Beyond the drum handling attachment range, St Clare Engineering also manufactures and supplies:
• Drum cages: overhead and heavy duty
• Work platforms for forklift trucks
• Self-dumping hoppers
• Stacker trucks
• Reel turning units
• Bespoke drum and barrel handling equipment to customer specification.

Single, double and multi-drum handling
Most of the Grab-O-Matic range is available in single, double and multi-drum configurations. The choice depends on the volume of drums being handled, the space available, and whether drum types are consistent across the operation.
A single drum handler lifts one drum at a time. It is the standard choice for lower-volume operations, mixed drum types, or sites where space is limited. A double drum handler lifts two drums simultaneously, halving the number of trips required and significantly increasing throughput.

For high-throughput operations, multi-drum configurations handling three or four drums at once are available. The Grab-O-Matic 2-DLR double drum handler can load or unload a container of 80 drums in under 30 minutes. For very high level requirements, bespoke overhead drum cages are available for environments where fork trucks cannot be used, such as ship to shore applications.

Where different drum types are handled on the same site, a single attachment with the Quick Release System allows fast changeover between grip types without the complexity of a dedicated multi-drum handler.

65 years of British drum handling engineering
St Clare Engineering was founded in 1959, and the Grab-O-Matic range has been in continuous production in England ever since. The company is family-run and remains based in Eastleigh, Hampshire, where every unit is still hand-built and tested by skilled engineers before dispatch.

The product has evolved over six decades: the range has extended, we export across the world, and innovations such as the Quick Release System have been added along the way. But the engineering philosophy has never changed: build it robustly, keep it simple, make it work. The result is a product that customers in over 35 countries rely on, from the Arctic Circle to the Arabian Gulf, and an after-sales archive that includes equipment manufactured decades ago and still in daily service.

Built in Britain
Every Grab-O-Matic unit is manufactured at our Eastleigh facility in Hampshire. All components are made in the UK. Assembly, inspection and proof-load testing are carried out in-house by our engineering team before any unit is dispatched.
Manufacturing in Britain means we maintain direct control over materials, tolerances and quality at every stage. It also means our supply chain is not subject to the delays, minimum order quantities or quality variability that can affect imported equipment. For customers who need a bespoke solution, the same team that designs the standard range builds the custom item.

Quality credentials across the range:
• ISO 9001:2015 quality management system
• CE and UKCA certification — standard on all attachments
• ATEX certification — stainless steel ATEX range only
• Proof-load tested with Safe Working Load certificates issued for every unit
• 6 to 12mm steel frame and pillar construction
• 12-month warranty, extended by a further 12 months if the attachment is returned annually for service and re-test.

Which sectors use Grab-O-Matic?
The Grab-O-Matic range is used in any sector that handles steel, plastic or fibre drums as part of its regular operations. Current customers include manufacturers, distributors and processors across chemical processing, food and drink production, pharmaceutical manufacturing, oil and gas, waste management and recycling, distilling and brewing, agriculture, ports and logistics.

In the UK, Grab-O-Matic equipment is in daily use at manufacturing operations, distribution centres, chemical plants, pharmaceutical facilities and food production sites. Internationally, the range is supplied through a network of named distributors covering Australia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Pakistan, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand and the UAE, with direct supply to all other countries.

Bespoke drum handling solutions
Standard drum handling attachments may not suit your specific drum handling requirement. St Clare Engineering has designed and built bespoke drum handling equipment since the company's earliest years: custom grip types, non-standard drum formats, unusual weights or dimensions, specific clean-area or ATEX requirements, and applications that combine drum handling with other functions.
All bespoke items are designed, built and tested at the Hampshire facility to the same standards as the standard range, with proof-load testing and certification included. Previous bespoke projects include twin-head double drum handlers in ATEX stainless steel, bespoke barrel handling solutions for distilleries, and custom attachments for international customers with non-standard drum specifications.

After-sales support: servicing, spares, repairs and hire
Grab-O-Matic attachments are virtually maintenance free in normal use: occasional light lubrication of the pivot points is all that is required day to day. As lifting equipment used in the workplace, they are subject to LOLER and require a thorough examination by a competent person at least every 12 months.
St Clare Engineering's annual service and inspection programme provides collect-and-return servicing for UK customers, with loan units available to minimise downtime. Repairs are carried out quickly and efficiently, with a full spares stock held for immediate dispatch. For customers who need equipment on a temporary basis, or who want to try drum handling equipment before you buy, short and long-term hire is available with fast UK delivery and collection.

Grab-O-Matic drum handling attachments have been the first choice for industrial drum handling since 1959 for good reason: they are well-built, simple to operate, reliable in demanding environments, and backed by a manufacturer who has specialised in drum and handling for over 65 years. If you are specifying drum handling equipment for the first time, replacing ageing equipment, or looking for a solution to a non-standard handling requirement, St Clare Engineering's team is happy to advise. Contact us to discuss your requirements, or request a quote for the product you need.
 
Frequently asked questions about Grab-O-Matic drum handling attachments

What is a Grab-O-Matic drum handler?
A Grab-O-Matic is a mechanical drum handling attachment for forklift trucks, manufactured by St Clare Engineering in Hampshire, UK. It allows a forklift operator to lift, move, tilt and rotate steel, plastic or fibre drums safely and efficiently. The range has been manufactured since 1959. St Clare Engineering is the sole worldwide manufacturer.

Who makes Grab-O-Matic drum handling attachments?
Grab-O-Matic drum handling attachments are manufactured exclusively by St Clare Engineering, a family-run British engineering company based in Eastleigh, Hampshire. St Clare Engineering is the sole worldwide manufacturer of the Grab-O-Matic range.

How does a Grab-O-Matic attachment work?
Grab-O-Matic attachments are entirely mechanical. They use springs, levers and the physical movement of the forklift to grip and release drums. No hydraulic or electrical connection to the forklift is required. The operator drives the attachment to the drum; when the fork truck carriage is raised the drum's weight closes the gripping jaws automatically. The gripping jaws release automatically when drum is set back down and the weight released.

Will a Grab-O-Matic attachment fit my forklift?
Yes, in most cases. Because Grab-O-Matic attachments are entirely mechanical and require no hydraulic or electrical connection, they are compatible with virtually any forklift truck — including electric, diesel and gas powered models, counterbalance and reach trucks, regardless of age or manufacturer. St Clare Engineering can confirm compatibility for specific truck models on request.

What drum types can Grab-O-Matic attachments handle?
The Grab-O-Matic range covers all steel drums (tighthead and open top), plastic L-ring drums, fibre drums, Mauser drums and wooden barrels. Attachments are available in rim grip, waist grip and base grip configurations; and in single, double and multi-drum handling variants. Specialist attachments for specific drum types are available across the range.

What is the Grab-O-Matic Quick Release System?
The Quick Release System is a St Clare Engineering invention that allows a forklift operator to attach and remove drum handling equipment without leaving the cab. A carriage hook plate is bolted permanently to the forklift carriage. The attachment locks automatically when the forks are inserted and raised, and releases only when lowered to the ground and the fork truck reversed away. It is available across most of the Grab-O-Matic range, including stainless steel and ATEX-rated variants. See the Quick Release System page for full details.

Are Grab-O-Matic attachments suitable for ATEX hazardous environments?
Yes. St Clare Engineering manufactures an ATEX-rated stainless steel drum handling range for use in Zone 1 and Zone 2 potentially explosive atmospheres. Because all Grab-O-Matic attachments are entirely mechanical — no electrical components, no hydraulic fluid — they present no ignition source and are well suited to hazardous environments.

Can St Clare Engineering make bespoke drum handling equipment?
Yes. St Clare Engineering has manufactured bespoke drum handling solutions since 1959, including custom grip configurations, automatic scissor grabs, non-standard drum formats, specialist ATEX stainless steel items and multi-drum handlers. A sketch or verbal description of the requirement is enough to produce a firm price and delivery. Contact us to discuss your requirements.