08.07.2009

Schmidt makes if 40 years

On Saturday, German aerial lift rental company, Schmidt Neu-Isenburg, celebrated its 40th Anniversary with a party for employees, families and invited guests.

The star of the celebrations was a completely restored 19 metre Ruthmann "Steiger" dating back to 1969. "In the beginning no one could associate much with a product called Steiger” recalls founder Heinz Schmidt “This was almost the beginning of the platform rental industry, but this machine is as good as new!"

Although he privately admits that having tried the machine, it is not a very practical product in comparison with the current products in his fleet.
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A 1969 Ruthmann Steiger truck mount

Schmidt is one of the aerial lift industry’s true pioneers, being among the first entrepreneurs to spot the potential for rented powered access equipment in Germany. As with many of the early German companies Schmidt began using aerial lifts first of all and then recognised that renting them out to other tradesmen was going to be a better business and so Elektro Schmidt became Arbeitsbühnen Schmidt.
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The truck mounted line up on Saturday

The company has grown and a steady and solid pace since then and now operates 148 vehicles mounted lifts painted orange and blue and 488 other access platforms which are painted white and blue. The fleet also includes loader cranes and telehandlers, including 360 degree models.

Schmidt now manages the company together with his son Alexander. "I am sure that he will make an excellent successor," he says.
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Heinz Schmidt

The company operates from three locations, the head office in Neu-Isenburgone plus branches in Mainz-Gustavsburg and one in Besigheim near Stuttgart.
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The Schmidt 40 year logo