Uplifter

What Uplifter does

Uplifter (legal entity: Uplifter Service GmbH) is a privately held German industrial equipment company founded in 2000 and headquartered in Guteneck, Bavaria. The company designs, manufactures, distributes, and rents specialized lifting and vacuum-handling equipment — including mini cranes, Glassworker glass-lifting robots, vacuum lifters and suction cups, mobile cranes, transport equipment, electric pallet trucks, and cargo/assembly lifts — serving trade and craft contractors (especially in glass, façade, and window installation) as well as industrial customers in automotive, mechanical engineering, aviation, foundry, and general manufacturing.

Its product portfolio rests on proprietary vacuum lifting technology and compact crane engineering refined over more than two decades, with sub-brands including Glassworker, UPG vacuum lifters, UPP panel suction cups, SPT mini cranes, and GRABO handheld devices. Technical differentiation centers on single-operator usability (one fitter can install heavy glass panes), hybrid petrol/electric drives enabling emission-free indoor work, Pick & Carry load transport on crane chassis, and battery-powered vacuum circuits with acoustic safety systems and up to eight hours of operating time. The company is also the authorized Aerolift distributor for DACH plus Czech Republic and Poland, supplementing its own products with complementary vacuum lifting technology.

Uplifter operates a hybrid revenue model combining direct equipment sales, a formal rental subsidiary (UPLIFTER Rental GmbH) covering Europe with optional operating personnel, service and UVV inspection contracts, and customized special-mechanical-engineering solutions. Distribution is omnichannel: direct sales from headquarters, regional service centers across Germany, a worldwide dealer network with active recruitment, and an e-commerce storefront. Customer segments are organized horizontally across Trade & Craft, Industry, Construction & Infrastructure (precast, wind, tunnel, pipelines), and Rental Companies.

Name

Uplifter

Legal name

Uplifter Service GmbH

Website

https://uplifter.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Uplifter is a German industrial equipment company that designs, manufactures, distributes, and rents specialized mini cranes, glass-lifting robots, and vacuum lifting systems for trade contractors, industrial manufacturers, and infrastructure projects across Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Construction Lifting Equipment

NAICS

Overhead Traveling Crane, Hoist, and Monorail System Manufacturing (333923), Construction Machinery Manufacturing (333120), Industrial Truck, Tractor, Trailer, and Stacker Machinery Manufacturing (333924), Construction Machinery Manufacturing (33312)

SIC

Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530), Construction Machinery & Equip (3531), Wholesale-Construction & Mining (No Petro) Machinery & Equip (5082), Industrial Trucks, Tractors, Trailors & Stackers (3537)

akta.pro primary industry

Cranes, Hoists & Overhead Material Handling (Industrial) (IMAHABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Lifting & Hoisting Rental & Leasing (IMAHAJAN), Loading/Unloading & Transfer Equipment (Telescopic Conveyors, Loaders, Tipplers) (IMAHABAI), Forklifts & Industrial Trucks (IC & Electric) (IMAHABAA), Lifting Attachments & Material Handling Accessories (Fork Attachments, Slings, Rigging) (IMAHABAJ)

Keywords

• Vacuum lifting equipment
• Glass lifting robots
• Mini cranes construction
• Industrial material handling
• Facade lifting solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Guteneck

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Equipment sales: Sale of lifting equipment including mini cranes, glass lifters, glass suction cups, mobile cranes, transport equipment, and vacuum lifters. Products available for purchase through direct sales team and website.
2. Equipment rental: Rental of lifting equipment throughout Europe with flexible rental periods. Option to rent with or without operating personnel. Managed by UPLIFTER Rental GmbH.
3. Service and maintenance: Repair, maintenance, UVV inspections, and spare parts service for lifting equipment from all locations throughout Germany. Professional service according to manufacturer specifications.
4. Customized solutions: Special mechanical engineering and custom-made lifting solutions developed for specific customer requirements.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Uplifter manufactures and sells specialized lifting equipment for the construction and industrial sectors, including glass lifting robots (Glassworker), vacuum lifters, mini cranes, mobile cranes, transport equipment, and electric pallet trucks. The company targets trade and industry customers (glass construction, facade specialists, metal construction, industrial firms) across Europe and internationally via a dealer network, and also offers equipment rental through a dedicated subsidiary.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Glassworker: Glass lifting robots for handling heavy windows, panes, ceiling and facade elements
• Vacuum Lifter / UPG Series
• SPT Crane Series
• GRABO
• UPP Series

Products and services

• Glassworker (Glass lifting robots) Glassworker glass lifting robots are designed for safe lifting, transport, and installation of glass elements in interior and exterior applications. They are intended for glass construction companies, facade specialists, and glaziers who need controlled, damage-free handling of heavy or oversized glass panels.
• UPG series Vacuum Lifters UPG series vacuum lifters use vacuum suction to lift and move glass, metal panels, and other smooth-surface loads. They are used by glass construction, facade, and metal construction professionals for ergonomic, safe handling of heavy or awkward elements.
• SPT series Mini Cranes SPT series mini cranes are compact, mobile cranes designed for lifting in confined spaces, indoor construction sites, and renovation projects. They are used by construction firms, facade installers, and industrial operators needing maneuverable lifting equipment.
• Mobile Cranes Uplifter mobile cranes are hydraulically or electrically driven mobile cranes for construction and industrial lifting applications, with remote-control operation to enhance operator safety. They are used by construction companies and industrial operators for general and heavy lifting tasks.
• Electric Pallet Trucks Electric pallet trucks are battery-powered transport devices for moving palletized loads in warehouses, industrial facilities, and jobsites. They are used by industrial operators and logistics teams for ergonomic material handling.
• Industrylifter (Industrial lifters) Industrylifters are industrial-grade lifting devices for handling heavy loads in manufacturing, warehouse, and industrial operations. They are used by industrial firms for ergonomic and safe lifting of heavy or awkward items.
• Cargo and Assembly Lifts Cargo and assembly lifts are vertical lifting devices for moving goods, components, and materials between levels in construction, assembly, and industrial settings. They are used by construction firms and assembly operations.
• Transport Equipment Transport equipment covers Uplifter's devices for moving heavy and oversized loads such as glass, facade elements, and industrial components on jobsites and across facilities. They are used by construction and industrial operators.
• Overhang Beams Overhang beams are lifting accessories used to extend the reach and configuration of Uplifter cranes and lifters for specialized load handling. They are used by construction and industrial operators alongside standard lifting equipment.
• UPLIFTER Rental (Equipment Rental Service) UPLIFTER Rental is a rental service offered through Uplifter's subsidiary UPLIFTER Rental GmbH, providing short-term and project-based access to Uplifter's glass lifters, mini cranes, vacuum lifters, and other lifting equipment. It is intended for construction firms and trades needing equipment without capital purchase.
• Customized Lifting Solutions Uplifter offers customized engineered lifting solutions for customers with non-standard or specialized lifting requirements that cannot be met by standard catalog equipment. The service is targeted at construction and industrial clients needing tailored equipment configurations.
• Used / Second-hand Equipment Used or second-hand Uplifter lifting equipment is available for resale, providing a lower-cost entry point for buyers seeking certified used lifting equipment. It is intended for cost-sensitive construction and industrial buyers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Single-person operation reduces workforce requirements
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• AeroliftcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUplifter is the authorized sales partner and distributor of Aerolift vacuum lifting equipment in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Czech Republic, and Poland. Aerolift specializes in vacuum lifting technology for metal plates, pipes, and concrete handling with over 60 years of experience. Uplifter provides sales, technical consultation, on-site installation, operator training, and full after-sales service for Aerolift products.
• SPT CranescoreTechnology or IntegrationSPT Cranes is the manufacturer of Uplifter mini crane products (SG80, S7 models). Uplifter distributes SPT crane products as part of their product portfolio. SPT cranes feature high-quality European components and are designed for mini crane applications.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• GRABO (K powerful Industrial): Manufacturer of handheld electric vacuum suction lifters that Uplifter distributes; comparable handheld vacuum lifting technology for glass, tile, and panel installation at smaller scale.
• Aerolift Material Handling: Dutch vacuum lifting technology specialist with 60+ years experience; Uplifter is its distribution partner in DACH/CEE — closely comparable vacuum technology portfolio but distributed rather than competing head-to-head.

Direct peers

• Hoeflon B.V. Dutch manufacturer of compact electric and diesel mini cranes targeting indoor and narrow-access jobsites — closely comparable to Uplifter's hybrid-drive mini cranes in use case and customer base.
• Jekko S.p.A. Italian manufacturer specializing in mini crawler cranes and pick-and-carry cranes with similar lifting capacity ranges and indoor/outdoor hybrid applications; the most direct head-to-head competitor to Uplifter in the European compact crane category.
• Maeda Seisakusho Co., Ltd. Japanese pioneer of mini crawler cranes with global distribution; competes with Uplifter in the compact-crane category and is widely regarded as the originator of the modern mini crane segment.
• Valla V.S.R. S.p.A. Italian manufacturer of pick-and-carry mini cranes used in industrial assembly and glass installation; Uplifter already references Valla products on its site and competes directly in pick-and-carry applications.
• UNIC (Furukawa) mini cranes: Japanese-originated mini crawler crane brand distributed in Europe; directly comparable compact-crane product line targeting glass, construction, and industrial lifting use cases.

Broad incumbents

• Liebherr-International AG: German-headquartered global crane and construction equipment manufacturer with full mobile, crawler, and tower crane lines; competes with Uplifter in mobile cranes and represents the upper-scale benchmark for the category.
• Manitou Group: French global leader in material handling, telehandlers, and mobile elevating work platforms; competes broadly with Uplifter in industrial handling equipment with a much wider product portfolio and global scale.

Regional players

• KLAAS Service- und Vertriebs GmbH: German manufacturer of mini cranes and aerial work platforms with direct overlap to Uplifter's compact-crane and crane-rental offerings, primarily serving the German and DACH markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/uplifter_de
• Facebookfacebook.com/uplifterinternational

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Uplifter