Compact power, big impact

By Jesse Sanchez. 

A lightweight crane with medieval roots is changing how U.S. roofers do business. 

From the historic rooftops of Williamsburg, Virginia, to the snow-covered plazas of Keystone, Colorado, a compact piece of European engineering is quietly reshaping the way roofing gets done in America. At the Carolina Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association (CRMCA) show in Myrtle Beach, Tony Hutton of Lifting Equipment Solutions (LES) explained how an age-old concept, revamped with modern hydraulics and lightweight aluminum, is helping contractors tackle tough jobs more efficiently while cutting costs and minimizing damage. 

“These machines are made in Europe. The only place they’ve ever been made was in Germany. They started making them in 1960. But the technology, or the actual design of them, is from the Middle Ages,” Tony said. “They made them out of wood and did it all by hand, but it’s the same idea. And this modern version is just hydraulics, aluminum and modern.” Three types of lifts, vertical, knuckle and crane, are designed to access tight spaces and steep slopes with minimal disruption. A standout feature is that they can be towed by a standard pickup and don’t require a commercial license. That alone is drawing attention from contractors who are looking to cut downtime and rental expenses. 

Wagner Roofing, one of the oldest historical roofing firms in the country, recently used a knuckle lift to restore the Ren Building in Williamsburg, Virginia, reportedly the oldest university structure in North America. “This is the kind of job where if you damage it, you can’t fix it. You can’t replace it. It’s that historical, that old. It just doesn’t [get] made anymore,” Tony noted. “This comes in, it can move all around right between the dormers, set up just where they want it without damaging anything, go right through the scaffolding that they have.” The financial upside is clear. Contractors report breaking even on the equipment in as little as one job. Some, like a Florida-based high-end residential roofer, turned to the system after repeated damage to driveways by traditional lifts. With the new crane, Tony remarked, “Since he got this crane, he has never broken another driveway.” 

Beyond performance, the equipment is becoming a recruiting and retention tool for roofers. “A skilled labor craftsman likes good tools and good equipment, but he also likes to have his job move along smoothly,” Tony expressed. While the buzz at the show was overwhelmingly positive, Tony stated that investing in this equipment goes far beyond a simple tax advantage; it’s a strategic upgrade that reshapes how contractors operate. “This changes the way they run their production. This changes the way they bid on their jobs. This changes the whole culture and profitability of their business” 

Watch the full interview to learn more about how this compact, German-engineered lift is revolutionizing roofing operations, boosting jobsite efficiency and transforming contractor profitability from the ground up!