The origins of the lift can be traced back to ancient China and various European nations, where tools such as windlasses were used to transport people and goods vertically. Modern lifts emerged following the invention of the steam engine in the 19th century. The first lift was created in 1845, utilizing water as the operating fluid. In 1853, the American Elisha Otis invented an automatic safety device, significantly enhancing the safety of cable-traction lifts.
In earlier times, wooden ladders were used to move goods up and down; however, they were inconvenient to use and hazardous to climb. Shanghai was the first city in China to install lifts. In 1907, two Otis lifts were installed in the six-story Palace Hotel (Huizhong Hotel).
The lift industry is currently experiencing a boom. As businesses and individuals increasingly opt for multi-story buildings to maximize space utilization, there is a growing need for equipment to facilitate the vertical transport of goods. Standard elevators are costly and have limited load-bearing capacities-making them unsuitable for loads weighing tens or hundreds of tons-so high-capacity hydraulic lifts were developed to support production and cargo transport. These lifts offer safety, immense load-bearing capacity, and ease of maintenance, driving rapid growth in this specialized sector.
