Family Owned & Operated Since 1975
Handi-Lift, Inc. has provided Accessibility with Dignity to its neighbors in the New York, New Jersey area for over 45 years. Handi-Lift’s core business is the design, installation, and maintenance of vertical and inclined platform lifts in public buildings and homes.
Since the beginning of the company, Handi-Lift has helped architects, general contractors and building owners, who often aren’t the users of our equipment, to ensure that we design and install the most appropriate accessibility solution for the building. We will tackle the toughest challenges, be aggressive and honest in all our communication, and raise the bar for the industry. It’s all part of our mission to honor the God-given dignity of all the people with and for whom we work.
Handi-Lift has worked in some of the most prestigious buildings in New York City metropolitan area. Commonly requested elements for these projects are bare-edge glass, millwork, stainless steel, color-matched paint, and hidden masts. These elements help the platform lifts to match or blend into the rest of the building’s architecture, so it looks like part of the design rather than an afterthought.
45 Years of Expert Service in the Industry
Donald and Daphne Boydston started Handi-lift in 1975 in the basement of their family home in Mahwah, NJ. Donald had 20 years of experience in the elevator industry with Mohawk and Armor Elevator, but he and Daphne began by selling stairway chair lifts. As their business grew, They moved out of their basement office and added platform lifts as a focus on accessibility. The Boydstons found a warehouse and office space on Main Street in Wyckoff, NJ. They furnished the space, hired their first few employees, and Handi-Lift has been growing ever since.
In 1990, the Americans with Disability Act was passed, making accessibility even more important for commercial businesses. This was also the year that Donald suffered a stroke and was no longer able to lead the business. Douglas took over as President and became active in trade associations such as the NAEC, AEMA, ECNY, ABC, and he took part in writing safety codes for the industry with the ASME. As accessibility became a requirement, Doug’s expertise in the safety code was critical to help architects design lifts that meet requirements and look appropriate for the space. The office moved from Wyckoff to a larger space in Clifton, before settling at the current 20,000 square foot facility in Carlstadt, NJ.
Many Boydston family members have worked for Handi-Lift over the years. Donald and Daphne’s children and their spouses often pitched in. Douglas’s wife, Barbara, was a salesperson for over 10 years, and their son, James, started by working in the warehouse and sales department. In 2013, James took over as President and he has been helping the company to grow after the effects of the 2008 recession. Handi-Lift has over 50 dedicated employees, we have over 1,500 lifts under maintenance after 15,000 successful installations.
James Boydston, President, and Doug Boydston, Chairman and Former President
Solutions for Any Scenario
COMMERCIAL SOLUTIONS
We have the knowledge and experience required to work with architects and engineers on all kinds of commercial accessibility solutions.
CUSTOM SOLUTIONS
We work in some of the most amazing buildings in the New York metropolitan area and beyond, designing custom solutions with every detail matched to aesthetic of the building.
RESIDENTIAL SOLUTIONS
We love getting to work directly with people that actually need and use our lifts. Our solutions enable people with mobility impairments to live freely.
We’re ready and waiting for your call!
We welcome questions from professionals around the world. Our veteran staff has seen it all, and can help you solve even the toughest accessibility challenges.