We took advantage of Easy Lift's international presence to understand how the needs of different markets drive the restyling and design of new models, and whether the economy influences the spread of machines like tracked platforms.
Easy Lift, one of the most globally recognized Italian companies producing "spiders," has nearly twenty years of experience in international markets (it will turn 20 in 2025!).
Among its partners there are some of the largest distributors and rental companies of aerial platforms, a category that, due to its position, manages to have a clear awareness of the economic trends of a country. In fact, when construction is booming in a country, there is investment in infrastructure, and the industry is dynamic... machinery dealers and rental companies are among the first to notice.
Working alongside them, Easy Lift has learned to study the dynamics, identify the most enduring trends and understand market needs.
These are essential skills for succeeding in different markets, in an era like ours where global dynamics impact territorial specifics, with outcomes not always easy to predict.
Manuela Vender, Sales and Marketing Director of Easy Lift, shared her insights.
What is the current market situation from your point of view?
Historically, our reference market has been North America. Right here, starting from the second half of last year, we noticed a slight performance decline mainly due to high interest rates and inflation. This economic slowdown is quite widespread and transversal, affecting everyone, from small businesses (like arborist companies, always typical customers of our local dealer) to large rental companies.
We have, however, seen a recovery in Australia after a slowdown recorded last year.
India and Turkey are doing very well. We landed there just last year, but collaborations are already bearing fruit, a sign of a vibrant economic fabric.
We consider the GCC and Latin American countries promising. We expect to find new interesting partnerships for the sale and rental of our platforms in these markets.
Finally, in Europe, we see growth in Germany and England.
Do the restyling and new machines you design take into account the needs of different markets?
We can say that, from India to the United States, our "simple inside" philosophy, translating into machines that are easy to use, compact and safe, is generally appreciated.
There are, however, preferences that differentiate the various markets, particularly in terms of working heights, power sources and transport needs.
Regarding WORKING HEIGHTS, in Europe, machines up to 24 m are most popular. In the American, Indian, or Chinese markets, however, higher machines from 26 to 36 m are more requested, especially for tree pruning and maintenance work on buildings, which are on average higher than European ones.
Speaking of POWER SOURCES, battery-powered or hybrid machines are more requested in countries more attentive to sustainability (such as the Netherlands or Norway) and in countries where our spider lifts are mainly used in indoor environments like airports and shopping malls. Among these are Southeast Asian countries, India and Gulf countries.
Another issue influencing platform choice is TRANSPORT, which is closely linked to road conditions, viaducts, etc. For the United States, transporting large equipment is not a problem, but in other countries, it could be a critical issue, and being able to transport a spider lift on a trailer becomes a determining factor for success, at least with a certain type of audience (small end users). This is why we know that, for example, our German and English partners will appreciate the new spider we are designing, compact and lightweight, ideal for transport on a trailer.
This is the double-pantograph spider RA21. It originates from the larger model RA24, but we've brought it down to 4.5 m in length, 0.83 m in width without the basket, and 1.9 m in height in transport position. It weighs 2,900 kg in the diesel version and 3,000 kg in the hybrid RA21HY version (diesel engine combined with lithium battery), thanks to the use of lightweight Strenx steel.
Among the optional accessories, it has a winch with a lifting capacity of 230 kg, to use the platform as a crane as well, and the addition of the Easycom remote diagnostic device, to be able to intervene promptly to solve machine problems even from a distance.
These are features that are appreciated across the board by all operators. They make the machine versatile and safe. There is no operator in the world who does not appreciate these qualities!
What else are you working on?
We have completed the restyling of our RA15, introducing significant performance improvements.
In this case too, we aimed to reduce dimensions and improve maneuverability: we have brought the length to 3.6 m (from 4 m), increased the basket rotation from 120° to 160° and reduced the stabilization area from 3 x 3 m to 2.8 x 2.8 m.
The load cell is no longer digital but electronic, for greater precision.
Machine use is simplified thanks to the Scanreco remote control with new software.
Speaking of your machines, how are the first months of the year going in terms of sales?
We are very satisfied; in this first quarter, we already have several prestigious sales to be proud of:
- Fincantieri, one of the most important shipbuilding complexes in the world with over 230 years of history and more than 7,000 ships built, has chosen one of our RA24 in the hybrid version.
- The Italian Army, which purchased 20 R180 in 2023, has confirmed its trust in our products by ordering another 4.
- In Spain, thanks to our collaboration with Ahern Ibérica started at the beginning of 2023, 4 R180s will soon be delivered to the well-known rental company Jofemesa.
- 7 R130s will instead arrive in the Canary Islands for the rental company Maquinas Opein to expand its fleet, which already includes another 7 R130 spiders.
- The Turkish airport of Dalaman, serving southwestern Turkey, has just received an RA26 with which all ordinary and extraordinary maintenance work will be carried out.
Will we see you at any international events?
Yes! Not directly, but our partners will exhibit our platforms.
Up Equip (USA) has already taken us to the Ara Show, the premier fair for the American rental market, and will participate in various events dedicated to the world of arboriculture throughout the year: ArborExpo on March 27th and 28th in Edison, New Jersey; ArborFest from April 5th to 7th in Asheville, North Carolina; TCI Expo from November 7th to 9th in Baltimore, Maryland. Up Equip will also organize demo tours in different states to give interested customers the opportunity to try the machines later exhibited at various fairs.
From April 24th to 27th, we will be at Intermat in Paris with our dealer LVM Nacelles, who will also participate in Salonvert at Château de Baville in September.
Hammer Lifte will take us on May 16th and 17th to the Dansk Liftmesse fair in Slagelse, Denmark.
On September 11th and 12th, we will be at Vertikal Days in Newark, UK, with the English dealer Independent Access Sales.
From September 17th to 19th, we will be in Poland at the Energetab fair with the Polish dealer Rothlehner.
Finally, we can't wait to participate once again in the "PEM" (Premios Elevacion Movicarga), which will take place on September 26th in Madrid, where last year our RA53 won the "high altitude platform" award.
In short, a never-ending world tour, to which we hope to soon add another prestigious stop: our new headquarters... work in progress!
Area Dealer
