Marine Travelift

What Marine Travelift does

Marine Travelift, Inc. is a privately held Wisconsin corporation founded in 1954 and headquartered in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, where it manufactures custom mobile boat hoists, marine forklifts, and self-propelled hydraulic transporters for marinas, shipyards, and boatyards worldwide. The company's core product portfolio spans BFMII Series boat hoists (25-100 metric tons) for recreational and mid-size commercial vessels, C-Series boat hoists (150-1,500 metric tons) for shipyards and megayacht facilities, Hydro M_Drive marine forklifts (15,000-52,000 lbs) for drystack operations, and TM Series hydraulic transporters (20-160+ tons) for yard vessel movement. Underlying technology includes proprietary hydrostatic drive systems, patented all-wheel electronic steering with five steering modes, the Variable Width hydraulic ram expansion system, Bluetooth-enabled remote diagnostics, and a 2024-introduced 700-volt battery-powered Electric Series. All equipment is designed and manufactured in-house, with heavy fabrication handled by vertically integrated sister company ExacTech across Sturgeon Bay, WI and Crystal Falls, MI.

The company operates a hybrid go-to-market model combining direct enterprise sales, factory-owned regional operations (Mid-Atlantic since 2019, Florida established April 2025), and an authorized independent distributor network covering North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Oceania. Revenue is generated through new equipment sales (quote-based, highly customized), OEM replacement parts, aftermarket service and inspections, and a used equipment marketplace, with third-party financing partners offering leasing options. Primary customers are marinas, yacht clubs, and shipyards — including named accounts such as MarineMax, Viking Yachts, Colonna's Shipyard, De Haas Shipyards (Port of Rotterdam), and Yacht Club Ancon (Peru). Over 4,500 Marine Travelift units are operating globally, and the company holds ISO 9001:2015 certification.

Name

Marine Travelift

Legal name

Marine Travelift, Inc.

Website

https://marinetravelift.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Boat Handling Equipment

NAICS

Overhead Traveling Crane, Hoist, and Monorail System Manufacturing (333923)

SIC

Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530), Construction Machinery & Equip (3531)

akta.pro primary industry

Heavy Lifting & Material Handling Infrastructure (Goliath Cranes, Jib Cranes, Hoists) (IMAJALAD)

Keywords

• Mobile boat hoists
• Marine forklifts
• Boat handling equipment
• Hydraulic transporters
• Shipyard equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Sturgeon Bay

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Industrial Boat Handling Equipment Sales: Marine Travelift generates primary revenue from manufacturing and selling mobile boat hoists (25-1,500 ton capacity), marine forklifts (15,000-52,000 lb capacity), and hydraulic transporters (20-160 ton capacity). Equipment is sold directly and through distributors globally with customization options available.
2. Aftermarket Parts & OEM Replacement Parts: Sale of genuine OEM replacement parts for boat hoists, marina forklifts, and industrial hydraulic transporters. Parts team provides highest quality OEM components for maintaining equipment at peak performance.
3. Service, Maintenance & Inspections: Comprehensive machine inspections, preventative maintenance programs, operator training, and field service support. Services include load testing, hydraulic oil analysis, and jib crane testing. Provided through factory technicians and local distributors.
4. Equipment Financing: Financing partners offer affordable, low-interest leasing options including end-of-term options to purchase, refinance, or return the machine. Helps customers acquire customized equipment with latest technology.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Marine Travelift designs and manufactures custom mobile boat hoists (25–1,500 metric ton capacity), marine forklifts (15,000–52,000 lb capacity), and self-propelled hydraulic transporters (20–160+ ton) for marinas, shipyards, and boatyards worldwide. All equipment is engineered and fabricated in-house in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, and is sold direct or through an authorized global distributor network, with financing, OEM parts, field service, and operator training available as recurring offerings.

Product overview

Marine Travelift manufactures a comprehensive lineup of industrial boat handling equipment designed for marinas, shipyards, and boatyards. The core product portfolio consists of four main equipment categories: BFMII Boat Hoists (25-100 ton capacities for recreational and commercial vessels), C-Series Boat Hoists (150-1500 ton capacities for large vessels and superyachts), Hydro M_Drive Marine Forklifts (15,000-52,000 lbs for drystack operations), and Hydraulic Transporters (20-100+ ton self-propelled trailers). These products work synergistically to enable efficient vessel handling, storage, and transport. Key optional enhancements include the Electric Series (zero-emission battery-powered option), Variable Width technology (space optimization), and Remote Diagnostics (Bluetooth-enabled support). The company also offers comprehensive customer care services including maintenance, training, and parts support through an extensive global distributor network. Founded in 1954, Marine Travelift has over 4,500 units operating worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Shuttlelift: Mobile gantry cranes manufactured by Marine Travelift's sister company
• ExacTech
• BFMII Series
• C-Series
• Hydro M_Drive
• TM Series Transporters
• Electric Series

Products and services

• BFMII Boat Hoists (25-100 Ton) Mobile boat hoists with lifting capacities from 25 to 100 metric tons, capable of hauling vessels approximately 25–100 ft in length. Designed for sailboats, yachts, powerboats, and commercial vessels at yacht clubs and marinas.
• C-Series Boat Hoists (150-1500 Ton) Heavy-duty mobile boat hoists with capacities from 150 to 1,500 metric tons, designed to haul vessels from 130 ft to 328 ft in length. Built for shipyards, megayacht marinas, and boat builders handling tugs, ferries, superyachts, barges, and commercial vessels.
• Hydro M_Drive Marine Forklifts Industrial marine forklifts with hydrostatic drive system and capacities ranging from 15,000 to 52,000 lbs. Designed for drystack marina operations to lift and launch vessels 15–50 ft in length, available in side cab and center cab configurations.
• Hydraulic Transporters (Self-Propelled) Self-propelled transporter trailers with capacities from 20 to 100 metric tons and larger. Designed to work alongside mobile boat hoists to maximize boat storage throughout yards and haul vessels 25 ft to 110 ft and larger.
• Electric Series (Battery Powered Mobile Boat Hoists) Battery-powered electric mobile boat hoists offering zero emissions with the same work capacity, ease of use, and operational efficiency as diesel units. Powered by a 700-volt battery system with DC fast charging capability.
• Customer Care & Field Service After-sales support including machine inspections, preventative maintenance programs, operator training, OEM parts, load testing, hydraulic oil analysis, and jib crane testing. Delivered by in-house field service technicians and authorized distributors worldwide.
• Used Equipment Marketplace Online marketplace listing pre-owned Marine Travelift boat hoists, forklifts, and transporters available for purchase, with models ranging from 1983 to 2023.

Quantifiable outcome

• With over 4,500 units operating worldwide, Marine Travelift claims best return on investment in the industry
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• WE Johnson EquipmentcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 28 April 2025Former Marine Travelift distributor for Florida territory for 33 years. Gary Work, owner, retired in April 2025 after dedicated service. Territory taken over by Marine Travelift Florida factory operation.
• Marine Travelift FloridacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 28 April 2025Factory-owned regional operation created in April 2025 to directly serve Florida customers with sales, parts, and service support. Mike Marchese (formerly of WE Johnson) leads sales operation with Leo Piloto on Gulf coast and technicians with 50+ years combined experience.
• Marine Travelift Mid-AtlanticcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFactory-owned regional operation serving Mid-Atlantic states from New Jersey to South Carolina since 2019. Located in Ashland, Virginia with local field service technicians and significant parts inventory.
• ExacTech Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVertically integrated manufacturing partner producing all heavy fabrications for Marine Travelift and Shuttlelift equipment. Headquartered in Sturgeon Bay, WI with ExacTech North facility in Crystal Falls, MI for expanded production capacity.
• ShuttleliftcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company to Marine Travelift manufacturing mobile gantry cranes. Shares manufacturing facilities and resources with Marine Travelift and ExacTech in Sturgeon Bay, WI.
• Alto Service S.r.l.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorItalian distributor for Marine Travelift equipment. Located in Via di Vittorio Capezzano Pianore 55040, Italy.
• Garig EquipmentminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCalifornia distributor for Marine Travelift. Located in Pittsburg, California serving the region.
• Battlefield Equipment RentalsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCanadian distributor for Marine Travelift. Located in Mount Pearl, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
• Great Lakes Power ServiceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUS distributor covering Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Lower Michigan, Western Pennsylvania, and Western New York. Located in Mentor, Ohio.
• Kendrick Equipment Ltd.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCanadian distributor for British Columbia, located in Surrey, BC. Also serves Alaska, Oregon, and Washington through Kendrick Equipment USA in Kent, WA.
• Maquinaria Ucha SA de CVminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMexican distributor for Marine Travelift equipment. Located in Cuautitlan Izcalli, State of Mexico.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ASCOM S.p.A. Italian manufacturer of mobile boat hoists and marine cranes directly competing with Marine Travelift in the same marina and shipyard customer segment. ASCOM offers comparable capacity ranges and serves as the primary European competitor in the mobile boat hoist category.
• Eide Marine Services: Norwegian supplier of mobile boat hoists and marine handling equipment serving shipyards and marinas in Northern Europe. Competes directly with Marine Travelift in the heavy-capacity boat hoist segment for commercial and offshore vessels.
• Wiggins Lift Co. US manufacturer of marina forklifts and boat handling equipment targeting the dry-stack marina segment. Wiggins competes most directly with Marine Travelift's Hydro M_Drive forklift line for the same marina and boatyard customers.
• Hoist Liftruck Manufacturing: US manufacturer of heavy-capacity forklifts (15,000-100,000+ lb) used in industrial, marina, and shipyard applications. Hoist competes with Marine Travelift's forklift line in the heavy-duty marina forklift category.

Others

• Shuttlelift: Sister company to Marine Travelift, also based in Sturgeon Bay, WI, manufacturing mobile gantry cranes for industrial and marine applications. While under common ownership, Shuttlelift shares manufacturing facilities and engineering resources with Marine Travelift and serves adjacent industrial lifting markets.

Broad incumbents

• Konecranes: Finland-based global leader in industrial cranes and material handling equipment. While primarily focused on overhead and port cranes, Konecranes competes with Marine Travelift in certain shipyard and port material handling applications with broader geographic and product reach.
• Manitowoc Company: US manufacturer of mobile cranes (Grove, Potain brands) with broader industrial reach. While primarily serving construction and infrastructure, Manitowoc's mobile crane technology overlaps with Marine Travelift's heavy lifting equipment category.
• Terex Corporation: US diversified equipment manufacturer with material handling and port solutions (Terex Port Solutions). Competes indirectly with Marine Travelift through its broader port equipment portfolio serving similar marine terminal and shipyard applications.
• Liebherr: German manufacturer of mobile cranes, harbor cranes, and heavy equipment. Liebherr's maritime crane portfolio (Liebherr Maritime) overlaps with Marine Travelift's heavy-capacity (C-Series) boat hoists at commercial shipyards and ports.
• Cargotec / MacGregor: Finnish marine equipment conglomerate with MacGregor providing shipyard equipment, marine cargo handling, and offshore load handling solutions. Operates across a much broader portfolio than Marine Travelift but overlaps in shipyard and port material handling equipment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/marinetravelift1
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/marine-travelift-inc-
• Instagraminstagram.com/marinetravelift

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Marine Travelift