UP Group
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1979
- HeadquartersAffoltern Am Albis, Switzerland
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
UP Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- UP Group
- Legal name
- UP AG
- Website
- https://upgroup.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1979
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
UP Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Aerial Work Platform Rental and Services
- NAICS
- Construction, Transportation, Mining, and Forestry Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing (53241), Construction, Mining, and Forestry Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing (532412)
- SIC
- Services-Equipment Rental & Leasing, Nec (7359), Services-Miscellaneous Equipment Rental & Leasing (7350)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Lifting & Hoisting Rental & Leasing (IMAHAJAN)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Cranes & Heavy Lifting Equipment Rental/Leasing (TLABAFAD), Specialty Access & Scaffolding Rental/Leasing (TLABAFAL)
Keywords
Where UP Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Affoltern Am Albis
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices15 records
Markets served
UP Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Equipment Rental: Short-term and long-term rental of aerial work platforms ranging from 3.5t self-propelled to large truck-mounted units. Pricing based on rental duration with daily, weekly, and monthly rates. Equipment can be rented with or without operator.
- Equipment Sales: Sale of new and used (occasion) aerial work platforms. Includes customization options for new purchases and trade-in programs for old equipment.
- Training Services: Certified operator training courses following VSAA and IPAF standards. Includes basic operator courses, refresher courses, instructor certification, PSAgA fall protection, forklift certification, and crane operations courses. CZV-recognized courses available.
- Maintenance and Repair Services: Workshop services and mobile maintenance through Flying Lift Doctors. Includes annual safety inspections, repair services, and spare parts supply.
- Transportation Services: Delivery and pickup of rental equipment with professional drivers using company-owned Scania trucks.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Bedienerkurs (Operator Course) - VSAA/IPAF certified training |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Equipment Rental - Daily/Weekly/Monthly |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | New Equipment Purchase - Price ranges by type |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Occasion Equipment - Used aerial work platforms |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels11 records
UP Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
UP Group rents, sells, trains operators on, and services approximately 1,500 aerial work platforms (Hubarbeitsbühnen) in Switzerland. The core business covers short- and long-term equipment rental, new and used (occasion) equipment sales, VSAA and IPAF certified operator training, and maintenance/repair services through six workshops and mobile Flying Lift Doctors. Customers include construction, municipal, industrial, telecommunications, and aviation sectors served via 41+ pickup stations, direct delivery trucks, online Click & Collect, and 12 training locations nationwide.
Product overview
UP Group operates as Switzerland's largest family-owned provider of elevating work platforms (Hubarbeitsbühnen), offering approximately 1,500 machines for rental and purchase since 1979. The product portfolio centers on various work platform types including 3.5t self-propelled platforms (drivable with Category B license, reaching up to 27m), scissor lifts, telescopic/articulating boom lifts, truck-mounted platforms, special platforms, mast lifts, push-around lifts, telehandlers, material lifts, and forklifts. Key equipment brands include Palfinger, GSR, Multitel, ISOLI, Genie, and Niftylift. The offering extends beyond equipment to comprehensive services including operator training (VSAA/IPAF certified), maintenance through Flying Lift Doctors and 6 workshops, Click & Collect online ordering at 41 pickup locations, and sale of new and used equipment. Recent innovations include fully electric E-Drive models (P250BK, P280CK) and fleet upgrades to IP55 standard.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- 3.5t Self-Propelled Work Platforms (3.5t-Fahrzeugbühnen) Self-propelled work platforms on 3.5-tonne chassis drivable with a standard Category B driver's license, available for rent and purchase. Reach heights up to 27 meters across manufacturers including Palfinger, GSR, Multitel, and ISOLI, for construction, building maintenance, and infrastructure work.
- Truck-Mounted Work Platforms (LKW-Fahrzeugbühnen) Truck-mounted aerial work platforms on various chassis weights for heavy-duty lifting applications, available for rent and purchase with professional delivery and operator options.
- Scissor Lifts (Scherenbühnen) Scissor lift work platforms for vertical lifting applications, available for rent and purchase from UP Group's nationwide fleet.
- Telescopic and Articulating Boom Lifts (Teleskop-Gelenkarmbühnen) Telescopic and articulating boom lifts for extended reach and working height requirements, available for rent and purchase.
- Special Work Platforms (Spezialbühnen) Specialized work platforms for unique requirements and challenging environments including tunnel maintenance units and custom-engineered solutions such as the Pebaco P570 truck-mounted platform.
- Mast Lifts (Mastbühnen) Compact mast lifts for vertical access applications in confined spaces, available for rent and purchase.
- Push-Around Lifts (Hubroller) Push-around or manually propelled lifting equipment for low-level access tasks, available for rent and purchase.
- Telehandlers (Teleskopstapler) Telescopic handlers for lifting and moving materials on construction sites, available for rent and purchase.
- Material Lifts (Materiallifte) Lifts designed specifically for material handling and positioning, available for rent and purchase.
- Forklifts (Gabelstapler) Forklift trucks for various lifting and transport applications, offered for rent and purchase in partnership with Toyota Material Handling Schweiz AG since August 2021.
- Work Platform Operator Training (Hubarbeitsbühnen-Schulungen) Certified operator training courses across Switzerland following VSAA and IPAF standards. Includes basic and refresher operator courses, instructor certification, PSAgA fall protection, forklift certification, crane category C, and load securing courses. CZV-recognized courses available, with operator courses starting from CHF 560 per participant.
- Maintenance and Repair Services (Wartung und Service) Comprehensive maintenance and repair services delivered through the Flying Lift Doctors mobile service team and 6 workshops across Switzerland, including annual safety inspections and spare parts supply.
- Click & Collect Rental Service Online self-service ordering system for 3.5t self-propelled work platforms with pickup at 41 locations across Switzerland. Customers book online and pick up at the nearest station, with safety instruction provided at collection.
- Used Work Platforms (Occasion-Arbeitsbühnen) Sale of pre-owned aerial work platforms with minimum 60% battery capacity, offered alongside trade-in programs and customization options for new equipment purchases.
Quantifiable outcome
- 35 years of partnership with PALFINGER AG
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use UP Group
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
UP Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
UP Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- Toyota Material Handling Schweiz AGcorePartnership since August 2021 creating synergies for the logistics and construction industries. Combines UP Group's aerial work platforms with Toyota's forklift and material handling equipment.
- PALFINGER AGflagship35-year strategic partnership with Austria-based PALFINGER AG, one of the world's leading manufacturers of truck-mounted and stationary crane systems and aerial work platforms. PALFINGER and UP Group collaborate on new product development, with UP Group receiving early access to new models like the P280CK E-Drive. PALFINGER publicly recognized UP Group at bauma 2025.
- SWISS International AirlinesminorPartnership for Christmas decoration installation projects and the AeroSHARK aircraft efficiency project. UP Group provides aerial work platforms for aircraft maintenance hangar work at Zurich Airport. Annual customer appreciation events held at SWISS facilities.
- Kamag Kamin und Ofentechnik AGminorNew pickup location in Bern for 3.5t self-propelled Palfinger platforms. Located 1 minute from Bern-Bümpliz highway exit toward Köniz.
- ZAUGG Storenbau AGminorPickup station for 3.5t self-propelled aerial work platforms in Burgdorf. Located 5 minutes from A1 Kirchberg exit.
- JMS RisiminorCustomer partnership in Baar, served with Znüni Bus customer appreciation event.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves14 records
Expansion highlights6 records
UP Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Loxam: Europe's largest equipment rental group with a broad portfolio spanning aerial platforms, power, tools, and site equipment. Comparable as a major multi-category incumbent competing in the same Swiss and adjacent European markets.
- Sunbelt Rentals: One of the largest equipment rental companies in North America and the UK with a meaningful aerial platform division. Relevant as a global incumbent scaling height access fleet and competing for multinational customer accounts.
Emerging players
- Hünnebeck: Specialist provider of formwork, scaffolding, and access solutions across Europe. Overlaps with UP Group on specialty access and vertical-transportation equipment for construction sites.
Regional players
- Kuhn Baumaschinen: Swiss construction machinery dealer and rental company. Competes with UP Group for crane and aerial platform business within the Swiss market, particularly in the German-speaking regions.
- Zeppelin Rental: German equipment rental provider with aerial work platforms as part of a broader construction equipment portfolio. Comparable as a DACH-region rental operator with similar customer base in construction and industrial maintenance.
Others
- TVH Equipment: Global supplier of parts and equipment for material handling, aerial platforms, and construction machinery. Comparable as an ecosystem participant — supplier of replacement parts and components that UP Group's maintenance workshops rely on.
Direct peers
- Riwal: International aerial work platform rental specialist operating across Europe, the Middle East, and beyond. Closely comparable business model focused on height access solutions, with similar fleet breadth (scissor, boom, truck-mounted).
- Mateco: Europe's largest specialist rental company for aerial work platforms, operating in multiple countries with a similar full-service model (rental, training, service). Directly comparable to UP Group as a specialized MEWP/AWP rental competitor with international scale.
- Boels Rental: One of Europe's largest equipment rental companies with a substantial aerial work platform division. Operates in Switzerland and competes head-to-head with UP Group for mid-market and enterprise rental contracts.
- Avesco Rent: Swiss equipment rental company with aerial work platforms, power, and site equipment. Closely comparable as a domestic Swiss full-service rental competitor overlapping on fleet, training, and customer segments.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
UP Group social profiles
Digital presenceUP Group compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
UP Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
UP Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
UP Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
UP Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
UP Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about UP Group
What does UP Group do?
UP Group rents, sells, trains operators on, and services approximately 1,500 aerial work platforms (Hubarbeitsbühnen) in Switzerland. The core business covers short- and long-term equipment rental, new and used (occasion) equipment sales, VSAA and IPAF certified operator training, and maintenance/repair services through six workshops and mobile Flying Lift Doctors. Customers include construction, municipal, industrial, telecommunications, and aviation sectors served via 41+ pickup stations, direct delivery trucks, online Click & Collect, and 12 training locations nationwide.
Is UP Group a public or private company?
UP Group is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was UP Group founded?
UP Group was founded in 1979. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is UP Group based?
UP Group is headquartered in Affoltern Am Albis, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does UP Group make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Equipment Rental is the primary driver. The others are equipment Sales, training Services, maintenance and Repair Services and transportation Services.
Who are UP Group's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Loxam and Sunbelt Rentals. Hünnebeck is listed as an emerging player. Regional players are Kuhn Baumaschinen and Zeppelin Rental. TVH Equipment is listed as an others. Direct peers are Riwal, Mateco, Boels Rental and Avesco Rent.
Does UP Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for UP Group.
What industry is UP Group in?
UP Group's product category is Aerial Work Platform Rental and Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAHAJAN, Lifting & Hoisting Rental & Leasing, with a secondary code of TLABAFAD, Cranes & Heavy Lifting Equipment Rental/Leasing. Its NAICS code is 53241 and its SIC code is 7359.