CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF INNOVATION

In celebration of Aritco’s 30th anniversary in 2025, we sat down with CEO Martin Idbrant for an exclusive interview. With his soon eight years of experience leading the company, Martin shares insights into Aritco’s journey, its pioneering spirit, and its vision for the future.

“When the four founders started Aritco, they had almost nothing. A fifth person, who wasn’t a founder or owner but owned a small sheet metal shop, lent them his garage and machinery to build their first lifts. It’s a classic entrepreneurial story of a small group with a clear business dream, driven by an incredible entrepreneurial spirit.

Seven years ago, when I joined, maintaining that spirit was essential as we scaled. Today, Aritco has grown significantly, with a presence in 60 markets worldwide and around 150 partners. Our products are sold primarily in Europe, the Middle East, parts of Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, and China – essentially across most of the developed world, except North and South America.

Along the way we have added processes and systems to ensure quality and efficiency, but we are careful not to become rigid. It’s about balancing structure with the creativity and freedom that fuel innovation.”

“From the beginning, Aritco has been a trendsetter, whether in design, digital solutions, or sustainability. We were the first to introduce connected lifts and lifts specifically designed for home environments. Our competitors are catching up, but in most dimensions, we remain a step ahead.

Sustainability is another area where we lead. We ask ourselves how we can reduce material use or switch to less CO2-intensive materials throughout the supply chain. This isn’t just about compliance. If everyone stands still, waiting for others to act, nothing will happen. We owe it to our children and the rest of the world to take a leadership position when it comes to sustainability. And we are fully committed to leading our industry and changing the mindset of customers, suppliers, and other players in the value chain.”

“The market has matured significantly. When we first introduced home lifts, most people didn’t even know such a product existed. Today, awareness has grown, but competition is fiercer than ever. So, it’s more important than ever to deeply understand what customers truly need, not just what they say they want.

This approach allows us to deliver breakthrough innovations. For instance, no one specifically asked for IoT-connected lifts, but we identified the value they could bring for users and service providers.”

“For me, it starts with our culture. We strive to create an environment where employees feel joy, trust, and pride. This is the foundation for everything else. Without a supportive culture, even the best strategies will fall short.

Curiosity about our customers, competitors, and other industries is crucial. It keeps us from becoming introverted and helps us stay ahead. By fostering a culture of creativity and curiosity, we can achieve truly groundbreaking advancements.

And while we are not perfect, we are working really hard to push the industry forward in terms of sustainability. Nearly 90% of industrial CO2 emissions come from the products themselves – materials and energy used by them and to create them – while only 10% come from operations like facilities and cars. Yet, many companies have focused solely on the smaller 10%. At Aritco, we are committed to addressing the whole picture, tackling both product and operational emissions. We plan to keep this a core focus for our business.”

“Our tagline, ‘Next Level Living,’ reflects our ambition not just for our products but for every aspect of our company. We want to be at the next level in sustainability, digitalization, and how we treat our employees and partners. This isn’t about following trends; it’s about setting them.

We’re committed to pushing the boundaries, from reducing our CO2 footprint to integrating digital solutions that enhance user experience. We aim to lead by example and inspire others in the industry to do the same.”