Business View Magazine - April 2016 113
company’s success. Light weight lifts were becoming
increasingly popular, as well as necessary, in new of-
fice buildings that are constructed with access floors
that route power, wiring, and ductwork below the work
space, as opposed to above it. The access floor pan-
els that cover the wiring, etc. cannot support heavier
equipment; they require aerial work platforms that are
light enough to travel across them. And Hy-Brid lifts
filled the bill.
In 2007, the Hy-Brid lift line was expanded to include
the HB-1430, which gave users a 20-foot working
height. In 2010, two 14-foot working height lifts were
introduced – the HB-830, which was self-propelled,
and the HB-P830, the first push-around lift for the con-
struction market. “We try to continuously evolve our
products,” says Kissinger, “either by adding new fea-
tures, or increasing the capability of our existing prod-
uct line, or adding new products.” In fact, Hy-Brid Lifts
were one of the first to be manufactured with an elec-
tric drive and steer mechanism. Previously, lifts were
driven, steered, and lifted by hydraulics. Electric lifts
are lighter and their batteries have a longer run time,
Kissinger explains, “Because hydraulics tend to draw
more amperage to run versus electric.”
Today, Custom Equipment, Inc. has grown from a small
family business with a few employees to a globally-
recognized, aerial equipment manufacturer. Hy-Brid
lifts are fabricated and assembled in two facilities in
