Manlift India promotes sustainability by expanding its fleet with electric and hybrid equipment, reducing carbon emissions.

Munish Taneja
Country Manager, Manlift India 

Can you provide a brief history and overview of your company, including the range of equipment you offer for rental?

Established in 2010, Manlift India operates as a subsidiary of the Riwal Holding Group. Manlift, along with Riwal, is a leading provider of aerial work platforms across India. Our rental fleet includes scissor lifts, boom lifts (articulated & telescopic), spider lifts, and vertical mast lifts. We serve diverse sectors like infrastructure, construction, and industrial maintenance. In 2024, Riwal and Manlift, were acquired by Boels Rental, which is the 2nd largest rental company in Europe and top 10 largest in the world. The Boels Rental group consists of the brands Boels Rental, Cramo, Riwal and Manlift. Boels offers general rental and special rental solutions in 27 countries with almost 8500 employees.

What are the current trends you observe in the construction/infrastructure equipment rental market?

Manlift India observes several key trends in the construction and infrastructure equipment rental market, such as increasing demand for specialized equipment, like aerial work platforms, and a growing focus on sustainability with investments in eco-friendly machinery.

Without operator deployment in electric and diesel scissor lifts has become a standard in the Indian market, this is a significant development in the aerial work platform rental industry. Manlift India is currently having 25% of its fleet deployment without operators.

Awareness of the safety requirements and operator training has improved over the previous years and it is important as our aerial work platform equipment market is growing. At Manlift we take a leading role in elevating safety in the industry by offering and conducting operator training. 

What are the primary challenges faced by rental companies in this industry, and how is your company addressing them?

Manlift India, being a leading aerial work platform rental company in India, addresses major industry challenges such as operator shortages and training of new operators, we have IPAF certified operator training center at Greater Noida, UP. We are conducting regular training of internal and external operators at this facility. We also offer this training service to our customers and other rental companies in the industry, on a paid basis.

Another challenge is the shortage of skilled technicians to handle the repair & maintenance of the equipment. Manlift India works along with the OEM’s to train technicians, which in turn helps us to provide high equipment reliability, good quality of rental fleet to meet stringent safety requirements of the project sites.

Apart from this, we have digital monitoring solutions installed on our rental machines, which helps us to monitor the utilization of the equipment at the project site.

How has technology impacted the rental equipment industry, and what innovations are you implementing to stay ahead?

Technology has transformed the access platform rental industry through telematics, digital fleet management, and eco-friendly electric equipment. At Manlift India, we stay ahead by using GPS-enabled machines for real-time tracking, offering the ‘My Manlift’ digital portal & app for seamless rental management, and expanding our fleet with electric and hybrid platforms to support sustainability and cost efficiency.

What kind of support from OEMs would help rental companies to grow?

To grow, access platform rental companies need OEMs to offer faster parts supply, technical training, telematics support, local service access, and enabling better uptime, safety, and fleet expansion.

What strategies do you employ to ensure customer satisfaction and retention?

Manlift India ensures customer satisfaction with customized rental solutions, 24/7 support, preventive maintenance, IPAF-certified training, and the “My Manlift” app for easy management, building long-term relationships and trust. The Manlift Way is our operating system designed to deliver the best customer experience. By following the Manlift Way, we ensure machine availability, safety, on-time delivery and pickup, high machine uptime, and invoice accuracy—all key elements in providing reliable, efficient, and customer-focused service.

How is your company incorporating sustainability practices into its operations?

Manlift India promotes sustainability by expanding its fleet with electric and hybrid equipment, reducing carbon emissions. We also implement eco-friendly maintenance practices, prioritize energy-efficient solutions, and ensure waste reduction in operations, aligning with global sustainability goals.

What are your projections for the future of the equipment rental industry, and how is your company preparing for it?

The access platform rental industry is set to grow with demand for sustainable equipment, digital solutions, and safety. Manlift India will continue to be at the forefront of the industry and is preparing for the future by expanding its electric fleet, adopting advanced telematics, investing in training, and enhancing its digital platform for better customer service.