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Having a diverse equipment fleet to meet the needs of a wide range of professionals is an essential component to help manage the ebb and flow of regular economic cycles. In addition to having a wide range of equipment, it also helps to have versatile machines that appeal to a wide range of users and applications, from professional contractors and warehouse operations to moving companies and homeowners. And, that’s precisely what material lifts offer rental companies.  
 
Defining the category 
While it seems straightforward, there’s a lot of machines that lift material, so it’s important to understand that this category of equipment isn’t large telehandlers, like the Genie^®  GTH™-1256 model. Instead, it’s low-cost material lifts that are designed to reduce the manual labor of moving and position heavy and/or awkward loads on a project. Good material lifts are designed for one-person setup, operation and should be able to be easily transported in a standard pick-up or service truck.  
 
Material lift equipment is the category Genie started back in 1966 when the first Genie Hoist was introduced. Now, it includes the Genie Load Lifter™, Genie Lift™, the Genie Superlift™ Contractor^®, Genie Superlift Advantage™ and Genie Superlift Tower™ — each designed to do specific tasks while being versatile for many applications.  
 
For a better understanding of what each can do, let’s dive into the details.  
 
Lifting and positioning 
From raising and positioning drywall to supporting HVAC equipment while working overhead, the Genie Super Hoist helps workers safely lift heavy and hard-to-handle material into the air and holds it until it can be secured properly. These powerful little units run on CO2 or compressed air and can operate almost anywhere. They can lift up to 300 lb (136 kg) at heights of 12 ft 5.6 in (3.8 m) and have a wide range of accessories to help support whatever your customers are lifting.  
 
Routine lifting 
When something’s too heavy for a person to lift safely and not big enough to warrant bringing in a forklift, there are other options. For light-duty lifting, the Genie Load Lifter lift is a great option. This little unit can lift up to 200 lb (91 kg) at heights of 5 ft 7 in. It’s an excellent option for moving everything from computer equipment and small appliances to parts, which makes it a great fit for homeowners, moving companies and IT professionals.  
 
When a customer needs to lift a little more, it’s time to step up to the Genie Lift, which can handle up to 500 lb (227 kg). And, since this material lift can reach up to 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m), it’s an excellent solution for loading and unloading heavy boxes on warehouse shelving or installing and repairing HVAC components.  
 
To meet the demanding needs of professional contractors, you should consider stocking the Genie Superlift Contractor and Genie Superlift Advantage. Still able to be operated by a single person and be transported in the back of a pick-up, these units can lift a lot of weight, handle larger sizes and lift much higher than other units in the material lift line.  
 
The Genie Superlift Contractor can lift loads up to 650 lb (295 kg) at heights of 24 ft (7.32 m). There are several different fork and platform lifting accessories available, so it can be outfitted appropriately for whatever your customers are lifting.  
 
The adjustable base on the Genie Superlift Advantage allows the unit to be maneuvered through a single doorway and repositioned for carrying wide loads. Also, it can lift up to 1,000 lb (454 kg) at heights up to 11 ft 5.5 in (3.49 m).  
 
Niche performance 
In the entertainment industry, the Genie Super Tower is the industry standard for raising lighting, sound systems and scenery. It is agile and easy to reposition, while also being able to handle up to 800 lb (363 kg) of material at lift heights of 26 ft 0.5 in (7.94 m).  
 
As you can see, there are a lot of options in the material lifting equipment category. Designed to be easy to transport, easy to operate and help to reduce the amount of labor involved with lifting and moving heavy things, to maximize the potential of these low-cost, high-return units, rental stores need to understand what’s available to stock the right models for the market’s needs.