Health Technologies

Stiltz Homelifts: Assistive tech that’s on the up

Stiltz Homelifts manufacture truly unique domestic lifts enabling homeowners to live independently for longer.

The spacious and comfortable lifts offer an aesthetically-pleasing alternative to the stairlift and come with additional practical benefits.

Stiltz Homelifts CEO and Chairman, Mike Lord has many years’ experience working within the mobility and accessibility sector, both in the UK and internationally.

We got in touch with Mike to find out more about the technology and what we can expect from Stiltz in 2023.

What benefits does a Stiltz Homelift offer over a stairlift?

There are aesthetic, practical and safety benefits.

People associate stairlifts with disability and ageing. Nobody ever wanted a stairlift, they just need one!

Stiltz Chairman and CEO, Mike Lord

A homelift – especially our clear-sided Plus range –  is an attractive product in its own right.

It can be an interesting talking point.

However, it can also be installed discretely out of sight or even be installed into a cupboard or a shaft, making it completely hidden, unlike a stairlift which is clearly visible.

From a safety perspective, consider how a less-mobile person such as a wheelchair user might transfer onto and off, a stairlift.

The risks associated with moving from chair to stairlift seat, especially at the top of the stairs, are obvious for all to see.

Practically, our lift doesn’t just move people, it moves stuff too – vacuums, washing baskets, suitcases… all the things that get harder for our customers as they get that bit older.

This gives true independence.

What makes Stiltz different to other home lifts?

You just need to look at our lift to see how different it is.

In fact, it’s so different that we would argue that it’s actually the only true-blood homelift on the market.

Unique slim rails, one on each side of the lift across the centre line, mean we can fit it anywhere in the home. Literally.

We don’t need a wall. We could even fit a lift in the middle of the room if that’s what the customer wants.

This gives users maximum flexibility of positioning options in their home.

The rails also provide two completely unique features in homelifts; a void installation, and a ThruCar option.

Because the lift is freestanding, it can install into the empty space in the turn of stairs or straight up to a galleried landing without the need to cut a ceiling aperture.

The ThruCar really enhances this feature as it provides a door at each side of the lift, increasing options for our customers.

Additionally, we have the drive system fully enclosed in the lift, not separate like a traditional elevator and no need for a remotely located pump like an hydraulic lift.

Finally, it just looks fantastic compared to the rest.

What design considerations did you look at when developing the homelift?

Safety is of course a primary consideration for a domestic lift product.

It’s a comparatively large, electro-mechanical unit designed to be installed in the domestic environment, so naturally we must make sure the safety features are extensive.

Our product has sensors top and bottom as well as the usual fall-arrest, balance, and weight-limit monitoring.

Where our product is unique is its safety light curtain. If this beam across the inside of the door is breached by a limb or even by clothing, the lift will stop.

Most other lifts rely on the edge of the lift coming up against an obstruction, resulting in compression entrapment before they stop.

Aesthetics have always been a very significant design consideration.

Stiltz Homelifts entered the marketplace with the intention to disrupt the accessible-living industry, an industry not known for its focus on attractive design.

We have always believed products which assist people to live safely and independently in their own home should have just as strong a focus on attractive design as on functionality and safety.

What do customers like about Stiltz?

Stiltz customers are a very particular about the products they select for their home.

Whether they’re purchasing privately or have secured funding via a Disabled Facilities Grant, they are keen to continue to enjoy their home as a home, and not an extension of a medical facility.

As potentially vulnerable users, they expect exceptional levels of service when interacting with Stiltz staff, and a product that delivers on its promises.

Our customer service is second to none which includes our same day fix aftersales service.

24/7, 365 days a year.

Our customers depend on their Stiltz Lifts so we make sure that they can always get to bed no matter what time of day or night a problem occurs.

As a business, Stiltz is on a continuous learning curve, and the overarching mission is to ‘Make it Easy’ for our customers.

That’s not just making it easy for customers to interact with Stiltz teams, but also ensuring the product user interface, installation process and handover is as straightforward as it can be.

How has the range grown and the technology evolved over the years?

Our products now look radically different to the early days of Stiltz Lifts.

We have introduced new styling, clear lift car bodies, new colourways, and a more intuitive and attractive interface.

The essential technology has remained the same though; a car suspended on steel cables, a cable drum, two rails to the sides of the lift car to channel the cables, and some clever electronics to make the whole thing run.

We continue to invest in new product development, and we will keep well ahead of the competition for years to come with new products and services already well through the design stage.

What were your highlights of 2022?

2022 was a year of consolidation. We focused on growing our export business, putting in place lead generation programmes and staffing up to support our key markets of Spain and Italy.

We also worked with mobility dealers in the UK to strengthen our trade support network.

In the background, significant advances in product development took place.

New technology will soon be introduced into completely new products which will create a seismic shift in our lifts specifically and will really be a gamechanger for the whole homelift industry generally.

Moreover, this will firmly cement our position as market leader.

We are approaching 400 employees and we grew sales by 20 per cent as a result of all these efforts.

We also implemented a new five-year strategy with a target to triple sales driven by new product and innovative distribution strategies.

What do you have coming up this year?

More growth, more people, more investment and more product. Pretty much business as usual for Stiltz.

If I say any more about planned product launches though our Product Management team would be most put out!

Watch this space…

Find out more about Stiltz Homelifts at stiltz.co.uk

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