Open type lifting platforms without enclosed lift-ways and with travel heights of 2,0 m. or less have been manufactured in Europe since in the early 1970s.

1
The history of European lifting platforms (open
lift-ways)

• Open type lifting platforms without enclosed
  lift-ways and with travel heights of 2,0 m. or
  less have been manufactured in Europe since in
  the early 1970s.
• Open type lifting platforms are generally
  supplied as alternatives to ramps.

2
The history of European lifting platforms
(enclosed lift-ways)

• Lifting platforms with enclosed lift-ways made
  for higher travel were introduced in the early
  1980s and have been under constant progress and
  development throughout the years.
• Modern lifting platforms are all in
  compliance with the Essential Health and Safety
  Requirements of the Machinery Directive
  2006/42/EC and combine high functionality with
  the maximum state of-the-art safety features.

3
The history of European lifting platforms
(enclosed lift-ways)

• The development of lifting platforms with
  enclosed lift-ways evolved from the
  accessibility requirements in many EU
  member states to help in their attempts to
  transform their societies to more
  accessibility friendly communities for
  their elderly and disabled inhabitants.
• In some European countries, for example, the
  Governments in the 1980s and 1990s looked
  for new solutions to integrate disabled people
  into the society and into the work place.
• The Governments also encouraged improved
  solutions to enable the elderly to continue to
  live in their own homes, with some simpler
  forms of daily old age care, rather than to be
  relocated to designated homes for the elderly, as
  this was regarded to be more human and less
  costly for the society.

4
The history of European lifting platforms
(enclosed lift-ways)

• These legislated transformations of the
  societies forced the authorities, the local
  communities, the builders, the building owners,
  and the equipment manufacturers to develop new,
  safe and affordable accessibility solutions to
  comply with the new legislation.
• Today, Europe has an ageing population. Older
  people and people with disabilities are at
  present estimated to number more than 80 million
  people with this number forecast to increase
  rapidly in the years to come.

5
The history of European lifting platforms
(enclosed lift-ways)

• With the implementation of new and more
  stringent disability legislation throughout
  Europe, the request for safe, cost effective
  solutions to make existing buildings more easily
  accessible for people with impaired mobility are
  rapidly increasing.
• The market is growing because of new
  technologies and an improved willingness to
  provide for and integrate disabled people in
  society, but also because of the rapidly
  increasing old age demography in Europe.