A quality industrial platform lift can improve the efficiency of a warehouse, loading dock, or any business situation that requires reaching high places. Lifting platforms come in a variety of styles that carry different costs. It's a good idea to compare the pricing and costs of industrial lifts before you make a purchase of your business so you can find a model that fits both your needs and your budget.

Hand-operated material handling lifts can be beneficial for smaller warehouse needs, while freight platform lifts may be necessary for larger operations. This guide covers the pricing of a variety of lift machines, including:

1. Hand-operated warehouse lifts
2. Hydraulic scissor lifts
3. Heavy duty lift machinery
   

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Take care of warehouse needs with a hand truck maintenance lift

Many warehouse lifting needs can be taken care of with machinery that is easy to maintain and doesn't take up much room. Hand-operated industrial lifts start out at a couple hundred bucks each, but more complex, heavy-duty models can cost up to $1000.

I recommend: NexTag lets you compare prices on hand truck lifts from a variety of manufacturers and suppliers. They supply models costing anywhere from $300 to $5000 for pallet lifts. Wesco Industrial Products manufactures a number of hydraulic and winch lifts for manual operation.

Purchase hydraulic scissor lifting platforms for larger loads

For loads that are heavier or larger than a hand truck can handle, hydraulic lift platforms can be beneficial. Cost varies depending on the weight capacity and design, but scissor lifts may cost between $200 and $2000.

I recommend: Northern Tool + Equipment sells a variety of hydraulic scissor lifts from multiple manufacturers. Their lift tables can handle weights of 300 to 4500 pounds, and range in price between $100 to $2500 for more complex models. HandTrucks.com supplies lifting machinery from a variety of name brand manufacturers, including scissor lifts ranging from $300 to $1000 and supporting a wide spectrum of weights.

Find heavy duty industrial lifters

For large lifting needs, requiring the elevation of both goods and personnel, look for hydraulic lifts capable of carrying multiple tons.

I recommend: Vistamation sells a wide variety of stacking and lifting equipment for all kinds of heavy duty needs. Their heavy duty dock lifts generally cost between $5000 and $15,000, and can carry up to six tons of material. Versalift East sells platform lifts that are installed in vehicles for use in outdoor inspection and repair work. Prices vary depending on model and are in the multiple tens of thousands, but they do offer financing options to make the equipment affordable to all customers.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When considering the pricing and costs of industrial lifts, keep in mind the maintenance and repair costs over the lifetime of a lift. Compare warranties between different suppliers before making your final purchase.

Even if your business is selling dainty women's lingerie, there may come a time when you need to invest in down-and-dirty industrial equipment, particularly lifts and platforms. In the most basic sense, lifts and platforms are used to move stuff around — usually heavy boxes and pallets. Industrial lifts are work platforms used to raise and lower material, personnel and work pieces for loading and work positioning.

This equipment is widely used in construction, automotive and garage service, electrical and power service, telecommunications, manufacturing and inventory management businesses. As a general rule, you will know if you need it.

There are several common types of industrial lifts:

1. Table lifts and positioners are typically used to raise and position work for ergonomic access. They may also be used for material or load positioning or for lifting.
2. Forklifts (also called powered industrial trucks, or PITs) and pallet lifts are used for lifting loads such as pallets from the floor to a raised position for working, storage height positioning, or loading and unloading.
3. Truck lift gates are designed for truck loading.They typically mount onto or near the back or bed of a truck, and are used for lifting loads up to or above the bed surface.
4. Personnel lifts, as the name implies, are designed to raise and lower people to heights for working or moving goods.
5. Boom lifts are for working in high places, such as ceiling welding and elevated wire installation and repair.
6. Dock lifts are used to raise and lower personnel and loads in loading dock areas.

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Shop online for new equipment

A handful of companies are well-known suppliers of industrial lifts and platforms.

I recommend: For a comparison of features and prices, see this BuyerZone guide on choosing aerial lifts. Visit Aerial Lift Equipment, Genie Lift or A Plus Warehouse Scissor Lifts to search for the equipment you need. To get users' skinny on equipment you're interested in, check out the Material Handling Equipment blog.

Decide whether to buy or lease

Most vendors of industrial lifts offer the option to lease, buy or lease to buy. This type of equipment will likely run into the thousands of dollars, so you'll need to understand the tax implications of buying versus leasing.

I recommend: Check out this Leasing Buyer's Guide for details on different types of leases and their implications for small business owners.

Check out used equipment

Many buyers find there is no reason to buy the latest and greatest version; you can get what you need from a previously owned workhorse. Be sure to ask for maintenance records and accident history, of course.

I recommend: eLiftTruck.com is an online marketplace for buyers and sellers of industrial lifts and other equipment. The site accommodates dealer/resellers as well as individual business owners. eBay is another good source for new and used industrial equipment of all types.

Be aware of safety guidelines

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulate powered industrial truck usage. These regulations concern loading and unloading, working with hazardous materials and maintaining vehicles.

I recommend: View applicable OSHA regulations and directives.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Consider the tax implications of buying versus leasing industrial equipment such as a lift or platform.
• •  Peruse online listings for used equipment to get a better bargain.
• •  Check out applicable safety regulations before you buy.
• •  Leasing may help you save money up front, but you don't end up with a saleable asset, and your credit must be good. Under a typical equipment lease, you generally are entitled to deduct your rental payments if you use the leased property in your business. However, in certain situations, the IRS may deny rental deductions if it audits your return and concludes that your lease is really an installment or conditional sale.

Materials handling operations rely on lift machines in great condition to move heavy loads. Keeping warehouse lifts in great shape is important for the safety of the goods you're lifting as well as laborers in your warehouse or factory. Industrial lift manufacturers offer a variety of replacement parts and supplies as well as fully operational platform lifts and other machinery. Whether you're buying parts for hand trucks, hoists, cranes or hydraulic lifts, it's important to be sure that you buy supplies for industrial lifts that meet the necessary weight capacity requirements for your needs.

Look for authorized dealers of parts and supplies for the lifting platforms your company uses, or fix your machinery with generic materials that cost less. Find a variety of supplies for material handling lifts, including:

1. Wheels and casters
2. Industrial crane lift machinery and supplies
3. Hoists and accessories
   

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Buy wheels and casters for industrial lifters

Many industrial maintenance lift products rely on sturdy wheels or casters to move materials from one end of the warehouse to another. When a wheel or caster breaks or starts to fail, you risk harm to both goods and personnel. Be sure to stock casters that have the right weight capacity for your materials handling needs.

I recommend: Check out Caster Concepts for industrial casters, wheels, axles and bearings for all kinds of materials handling needs. Choose from casters capable of bearing up to 10 tons. CasterSupply.com sells a variety of industrial lift products, including replacement wheels and casters.

Find the right parts for crane lift machinery

For heavy duty lifting needs in a warehouse, factory, or shipyard setting, a crane may be the optimal choice. Cranes come in a variety of styles and have a number of working parts. It's a good idea to stock up on crane parts and equipment so that you can keep downtime to a minimum when your machinery fails or breaks down.

I recommend: If you're considering a new crane system and aren't sure what type best fits your industrial needs, North American Industries offers a handy guide to lifting equipment. They also sell full systems and parts. Harrington Hoists supplies a number of components to improve the performance of crane systems.

Keep lifts and platforms up to speed with hoists and accessories

Hoists are commonly used in junction with cranes to meet industrial lifting needs in a warehouse or factory setting. Find parts to maintain hoists or fully operational and new hoists from online vendors.

I recommend: Sissco provides an online distribution center for hundreds of hoist parts from dozens of leading industrial lift manufacturers. For a variety crane and hoist slings as well as other lift parts and equipment, check out the supplies sold at Hoist.com.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you're looking to save money on supplies for industrial lifts, check out online listings for used and refurbished parts and equipment. Used parts may not offer the same reliability as new components, but will cost significantly less and, when purchased from a quality used equipment dealer, can prove sufficiently durable.

Industrial lifts include any type of equipment that makes it easy to move pallets or products on a factory floor, or in and out of a cargo truck, boat or airplane. When setting up a manufacturing or shipping operation, material handling experts examine the workflow to decide which types of lifts can improve efficiency, as well as protect workers and goods. There are several general types of industrial lifts on the market, and it's important to know a specific product's weight capacity before making a purchase.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Scissor lifts and industrial table lifts

Scissor lifts have hydraulic, scissor-like legs that raise and lower a platform, or table. Some are manual, and others are powered by electricity. These lifts help workers raise and lower heavy packages with less risk of back, leg and neck injury.

I recommend: Cisco-Eagle pictures a range of scissor lift types, both manual and electric.

Pallet jacks

A pallet jack has two flat arms that slip under a pallet so workers can raise and move the load where it needs to go. Some pallet jacks are operated by hand; workers engage the load, then tilt it up and wheel it away. Others attach to the front of trucks, so the load can be driven to its destination.

I recommend: Grainger sells a number of hand pallet jacks.

Manipulator arms

Manipulator arms have broad material handling applications. These arms are electrically powered and designed to pick up goods and set them in place with precision. There are arms that can reach in any direction, many of them up to 12 feet.

I recommend: GCI shows examples of a large variety of manipulator arms, some with capacities of over 650 pounds.

Vertical Reciprocating Conveyors (VRCs)

Vertical Reciprocating Conveyors (VRCs) move goods and equipment straight up and down, perhaps to and from a mezzanine level in a factory.

I recommend: Wildeck makes a variety of VRCs, and can customize its material lifts to your speed and capacity requirements.

Jib cranes

Jib cranes are booms made from a sturdy but lightweight metal, like aluminum, that workers attach to a load with a rope system. The boom then lifts and swings the load where it needs to go. Jib cranes can be mounted on a wall, or attached to a free standing post.

I recommend: Gorbel makes a variety of jib cranes.

Dock lifts

Dock lifts look a lot like table lifts, but they are larger and always electrically powered. Docks lifts are made to raise and lower heavy loads, including full pallets. They often have rails on two sides to prevent the load from sliding off and injuring bystanders.

I recommend: Vistamation manufacturers a number of dock lifts, some of which can lift loads up to 12,000 pounds.