Interview: Noblelift and its new powered access division

Celebrating its 25th anniversary in operation this year, Noblelift is a US$1 billion company with over 5,000 employees and is listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. The company boasts subsidiaries in Germany, France, the USA, South Korea, Malaysia, and Vietnam, and now has big plans in the access sector.

Tim Whiteman, CEO of Noblelift’s Powered Access Division since January this year, photographed at Bauma.

Tim Whiteman, who started in his new role as CEO of the division in January this year, was formerly CEO at Sinoboom BV, the manufacturer’s European subsidiary, and before that CEO and Managing Director of IPAF for more than 15 years. Speaking to Access Briefing at Bauma, he said, “We have very ambitious plans. We may not yet be the biggest, but we aim for a very personalised service and to ramp that up very quickly.”

This Whiteman explains will not be too difficult thanks to Noblelift’s extensive experience in manufacturing, alongside its intelligence systems division offering highly sophisticated automated warehousing systems for the likes of Amazon.

MEWP production experience 

On top of that the company has a rich history of MEWP production for other OEMs and has produced thousands of electric scissor lifts and other handling products for major industry players. While many of these partnerships remain confidential, Noblelift’s capabilities are already integrated into various global brands.

Noblelift is now set on making its own name in the highly competitive MEWP market. “Today we a have range of scissor lifts but with a huge array of options and are able to give customers a personalized experience,” says Whiteman.

The line incorporates six electric scissor lifts, five of which were showcased at Bauma. And, this is just the beginning, as there are plans for a full line of scissor lifts ranging from 5m/16ft to 16m/53ft working height.

In addition, a pair of electric articulating booms with 11m/36ft and 16m/53ft working heights are currently in testing. Future models will include telescopic booms and spider lifts.

Among Nobelift’s current line-up is a telehandler, with some standout differences. “It has a rough terrain forklift chassis so it’s smaller, compact and lighter than a traditional telehandler which for some people is exactly what they want,” explains Whiteman.

All powered access products are currently manufactured at Noblelift’s dedicated facility in Malaysia, with additional capacity available at the company’s plant in China. Both factories have been operational for over a decade and are strategically positioned to navigate global trade regulations.

As Whiteman points out, an advantage of having a factory in Malaysia is that units produced there are subject to a relatively low 4.5% import duty to the EU and 24% to the US market, compared to those imported from China. This is due to the tariffs introduced to MEWPs produced in China entering the EU and the US. 

Asked why Noblelift has chosen to launch its own access division now, and display its products at Bauma, Whiteman answers, “Noblelift has reached a stage where we are a very financially stable company, and we have the funds available to invest and start a new product line based on our experience.”

Despite the increasingly competitive environment for access OEMs, Whitman believes there is space for another manufacturer with a customer centric approach. “There is room for a manufacturer that brings new ideas, and we have quite a significant advantage because we manufacture in Malaysia and can offer good terms.

He adds, “But I think there is a big shake up in the European Union and the US and while it is competitive, prices are moving in an upward direction.”

Measured growth plans 

While the powered access division is already being considered as a third pillar of the group, alongside material handling and intelligent systems, growth will be taken step-by-step and there are no immediate expectations to equal them in terms of revenue in the short term. “That will be a huge task,” says Whiteman, “I would be quite happy if we just brought it up to a significant part of the company in the next couple of years.”

Noblelift’s current range of scissor lifts.

Noblelift is also an expert in lithium and wider green technologies, notably in its forklift and pallet products. “There has been a lot of work done there already and we are going to transfer that know-how and that technology to the MEWPs,” says Whiteman, “And there are going to be some new developments based on our knowledge.”

When it comes to the development of MEWPs, Whiteman adds, “We also have a rapid improvement program and benchmark our products against competitors.”

Now the company is bringing its advanced lithium systems to its scissor lifts and will focus on all-electric access equipment going forward, with both its new articulating booms being fully electric.

Of course, there is more to being a successful access OEM than products and technology. As any experienced access professional will know, after sales service is a crucial part of the equation to keep customers coming back.

The answer lies in Noblelift’s existing subsidiaries in Chicago, Hamburg and near Bayonne which are able to provide service and support and are complemented by Noblelift’s extensive international network of distributors for its material handling division. “We have a network that provides support today with experienced technicians and facilities in place to provide training and spare parts.”

“I know people say the powered access business is different to others, and that’s correct, so we are going through the process of speaking to our existing dealers to find out which ones are able to support powered access and where we need to find other partners.

“For the major rental companies, we will be working directly with them.”

When it comes to personnel, Whiteman is equally confident that the company will have the right people in place. At Bauma he said there had been numerous conversations with professionals in the access industry. “We are recruiting people that are well known in the business,” he adds. “Watch this space.”