System Lift names supplier of the year

System Lift assessed its members suppliers using a standard, anonymous process, with Merlo Germany standing out for its service performance, achieving the top ranking in four of the six evaluation categories.

Second place was taken by Aichi, while Sinoboom received third position in the Supplier of the Year category, as well as being awards as Newcomer of the Year.

The evaluation included feedback from 54 System lift partner companies, covering product and consulting quality, technical support, spare parts availability, on-site service, and warranty processing.

Supplier of the Year 2025: Fabian Markmann (left), Chairman of the Supervisory Board, System Lift; and Christopher Friedrich (right), Member of the Management Board, System Lift; with Henrich Clewing, Managing Director of Merlo Germany. (Image: System Lift).

The feedback showed a clear trend, said the organisation, that product quality alone is no longer the deciding factor and accounts for 28% of the overall score, while after-sales services now makes up 64%.

Merlo Germany secured the top overall result primarily through consistently strong performance across several categories.

Henrich Clewing, managing director of Merlo Germany, who accepted the award on behalf of his team, said, “This award is of great importance to us because it arises directly from our collaboration with the System Lift partners. The result shows that our team impresses through service, reliability, and customer proximity. At the same time, we see the evaluation as a clear mandate not only to maintain this level, but to continue expanding it.”

Newcomer named 

In the Newcomer of the Year category, System Lift said that Sinoboom had achieved the greatest year-on-year improvement, increasing its score by 0.25 grade points.

Sinoboom achieved particularly strong results in the product and consulting quality as well as warranty processing categories. “We are very pleased about this award because it shows that our development in the market is being recognised. For us, the feedback from system Lift partners is a valuable benchmark.

“The evaluation confirms the path we are on and at the same time gives us specific indications of where we still need to improve,” said Gregor Schellen, sales director Germany.

Christopher Friedrich, member of the Management Board of SYSTEM LIFT AG and responsible for purchasing, put the results into context: “Our supplier evaluation is more than a ranking. It brings together the practical experience of our partner companies, makes visible where collaboration works in day-to-day operations, and shows how important close, personal exchange between manufacturers, suppliers, and our headquarters is.

“We congratulate Merlo Germany on its overall victory and Sinoboom on being named ‘Newcomer of the Year.’ Both results clearly demonstrate how crucial reliability, service quality, and dialogue are in our industry.”