The mobile elevating work platform (MEWP), in German "Hubarbeitsbühne", is the mobile machine with work basket (platform) for transporting personnel and tools to height. It has largely replaced the previously common scaffold-and-ladder arrangement in industrial and construction settings — advantages: fast relocation between work points, setup in minutes rather than hours, precise positioning up to working heights of over 50 m. The rental share in the category is above 80 percent — most contractors do not buy, but rent by the day or week.
Types: articulating boom lifts ("cherry pickers") with articulated boom for overhead and around-the-corner reach (JLG 800AJ, Genie Z-80/60, Haulotte HA26 RTJ Pro), telescopic straight boom lifts for maximum horizontal reach (JLG 1500SJ at 46 m working height, Genie SX-180 at 56 m), scissor lifts with purely vertical lifting mechanism for large-area work (JLG 3369RT, Genie GS-4390RT). Other configurations: truck-mounted platforms (on 3.5-t or 7.5-t trucks, often with 20-30 m working height), tracked platforms with crawler undercarriage (Palazzani, Multitel).
World market and manufacturers: JLG (McConnellsburg/USA, since 1969) and Genie (Redmond/USA, part of the Terex Group) share over 60 percent of global market share. French manufacturer Haulotte (Le Creusot) is number 3 and particularly present in Europe. Further: Skyjack (Canada, scissor-lift focus), Manitou (Ancenis/FR, rotating platforms), Palazzani (IT, truck- and crawler-mounted platforms), Ruthmann (DE, truck-mounted booms). Chinese manufacturers Sinoboom, XCMG and Zoomlion have gained substantial market share in Europe in recent years — with 30-40 percent price advantage at comparable technical spec.
Classes and working heights: compact up to 12 m working height (scissor lifts 8-10 m, articulating booms 12 m — JLG E300AJP, Genie Z-33/18), standard 12-25 m (JLG 450AJ, Genie Z-45/25), large 25-45 m (JLG 800AJ, Genie S-85, Haulotte HA26 RTJ), ultra-large 45-60 m (JLG 1500SJ, Genie SX-180), special above 60 m (Palazzani XTJ 62, Ruthmann Steiger T 900 at 90 m — world-record heights for tree-felling and church-tower work).
Regulations and operators: DGUV Grundsatz 308-008 (operators of mobile elevating work platforms) requires theoretical and practical training with examination — without operator certificate, use on commercial sites is impermissible. Recurring inspection under BetrSichV at least annually by competent person. Wind limits: max. 12.5 m/s (Beaufort 6) for articulating and telescopic booms, 8-10 m/s for scissor lifts. Fall protection in the basket via harness and lanyard is mandatory on articulating booms — on scissor lifts with fixed guardrails the requirement lapses.
Rental prices 2025 in DACH: electric scissor lift 8 m working height (indoor) EUR 220-320/week, diesel scissor lift 12 m (outdoor) EUR 350-490/week, articulating boom 15 m EUR 590-750/week, 20 m EUR 750-950/week, 26 m EUR 950-1,400/week, large telescope 42 m EUR 2,400-3,600/week. Leading German rental companies: HKL Baumaschinen, Zeppelin Rental, Boels, Kiloutou, Nagel, Rehm, Riwal. Electrification is advanced in the segment: over 60 percent of new deliveries have been battery-electric since 2023, driven by emission-free zones and rental-customer demand.