living room with sofa, chair and fireplace

For 30 years, Gartec has been opening possibilities and options for its users through exceptional design and expert knowledge. As the leading provider of platform lifts in the UK, Gartec is known for going above and beyond for its private and commercial customers and has been recognised as BUILD Magazine’s Best Platform Lift Supplier 2024 – UK. Gartec’s focus on finding personalised, aesthetically pleasing solutions for its clients, whether their needs are immediate or aimed at future accessibility, is what sets it apart. Below, we explore how the company is championing innovative and sustainable choices for the benefit of all.

“For us, accessibility is more than just an add-on,” explains Gartec Chief Executive Andrew Harper who joined the company in 2019 and has overseen stability and growth for the business despite challenges posed by the pandemic and other more recent geopolitical events. “We strive to integrate our lifts into existing building designs, so they feel like they belong whether they are being conceived from scratch or added at a later date. They provide our customers with choices, futureproofing home design and elevating the profile of commercial premises.”

This ability to deliver inspiring solutions is what drives clients to seek out the team at Gartec. From sales enquiry to aftercare, maintaining an excellent customer experience throughout the process is part of Gartec’s core values. “We are proud to have a highly skilled and professional team at Gartec that always go above and beyond for our customers,” says Andrew. “We support our people to be the best they can be, and this has a positive impact on all areas of our business.”

Founded in 1994 with a desire to reimagine accessibility, Gartec has consistently remained the market leader in selling, installing, and maintaining platform lifts, expanding its product portfolio, customer base, and knowledge of the lift industry. Working with small and large businesses and individual clients, its offering includes advice on compliance, accessibility, dimensions, cost, sustainability, design, installation, and after-care.

In 2004, it became part of the Aritco Lift AB family – the award-winning Swedish platform lift manufacturer. Gartec supply the full range of Aritco’s platform lift product lines for commercial and home use, which are synonymous with functionality, space-efficiency, style, and safety. Many of Gartec’s customers select these products for the bespoke elements they offer, particularly around finish and design.

Sustainability and energy efficiency are also the hallmarks of the Aritco brand, with 95% of all Aritco platform lift components recyclable, and annual running costs below £30, consuming less energy than a typical domestic kettle or hairdryer. This focus on sustainability is particularly appealing for increasing numbers of Gartec’s customers who want to reduce their carbon footprint, and in the case of commercial clients, contribute towards achieving net zero targets.

“We’re certainly witnessing a change in what drives our customers to purchase a lift for their home or building,” says Andrew. “We still have customers who have immediate needs, whether that is due to disability or meeting building regulations, but most of our clients are focused on future accessibility, investing in something that lasts, and which adds value to their property.

“For home clients, that means people making decisions about their future needs earlier in life so they have more choices when they are older, especially if they can stay in their own home if they find that in the future, they become less mobile. For commercial clients, this means embracing good, accessible design for the benefit of all its users, and ultimately forging better customer relationships.”

Gartec has recently worked closely with Bellwood Homes on its Riverpark Villas development in Marlow where the S12 option of its HomeLift was installed in four high-end townhouses. The project required a lift that would take the homeowner through the four floors of the townhouse with ease for a luxurious experience and a forever home that adapts to any future mobility needs.

As well as understanding its customers since its inception, Gartec has moved adeptly in embracing technological advancements. It is currently expanding the use of remote monitoring of its Aritco platform lifts so it can carry out software upgrades and proactively identify when maintenance is required or parts need replacing, thus improving safety, longevity, and availability.

In 2024, after 30 years in the business, Gartec shows no signs of standing still. As well as helping private clients achieve their dream homes, Gartec collaborates with teams behind innovative commercial projects such as the development of a new state-of-the-art planetarium and science discovery centre in Nottinghamshire, and the National Gemstone Centre project in Carsington, which will both feature the Aritco PublicLift Access platform lift.

A worthy winner of our Best Platform Lift Supplier 2024 – UK award, it is clear that when searching for a platform lift supplier, Gartec stands out for its enthusiasm, knowledge, and commitment to customer satisfaction.

Not only does Gartec enjoy engaging with its customers, digging deeper into a brief to understand and bring their projects to life, but also extending its support beyond the completion of the project through its nationwide comprehensive lift maintenance services, with expert engineers providing regular servicing in compliance with government regulations and best practices.

“We’re delighted to have won this award in the year of our 30th anniversary,” adds Andrew. “It is recognition of all that we have achieved as a team and how our efforts have enabled our clients to live better lives or deliver better opportunities through our products.”

For business enquiries, contact Sally Joubert from Gartec Lifts on their website – https://gartec.com/