We're a family owned business built on Midwestern values, passion and dedication to quality and innovation, and we can wholeheartedly guarantee our products exceed your expectations.
-
1943 - Duo Lift® was founded in 1943 by Arthur Hellbusch when he began manufacturing a wagon lift in the family's milk barn. He designed a mechanism to slide between the wagon box and running gear, which, through a series of pulleys and cable, lifted the wagon box and allowed grain to be emptied out the back.
-
1950's - In the early 1950's, Art Hellbusch began to irrigate his farm by using irrigation pipe. He designed and manufactured a trailer to transport the irrigation pipe to and from the field as well as store the pipe during the winter. This idea became very popular and this product is still made today.
-
1969 - Jim Hellbusch, Art's son, joined the family business and began designing and manufacturing trailers for all types of machinery, irrigation engines, automobiles, and snowmobiles.
-
1970's - The company increased the volume of pipe trailers sold across the United States, as well as several foreign countries. The custom-built trailer line also expanded.
-
1981 - Art Hellbusch retired and Jim became President of Duo Lift®. Jim's wife, Connie, also joined the company. Duo Lift designed and manufactured its first running gear for the fertilizer industry. With the addition of distributor's, this product line expanded rapidly throughout the 1980's with running gears and trailers built for anhydrous ammonia tanks, liquid fertilizer tanks, and dry fertilizer tenders and spreaders.
-
1988 - Duo Lift's® first major plant expansion took place to accommodate additional sales.
-
1990 - Jim Hellbusch elected to the FEMA (Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association) Board of Directors. FEMA is a national organization for manufacturer's of short line farm equipment.
-
1994 - Duo Lift® was selected as Small Business of the Year by Columbus Telegram newspaper.
-
1994 - A second manufacturing plant expansion took place, as the irrigation, custom, and fertilizer trailer lines all remain strong entities for Duo Lift®.
-
1995 - Duo Lift® purchased the Evans-Plugge Company, known as E-P Trailers, a long-time manufacturer of commercial and industrial trailers. This enabled Duo Lift to offer a wider variety of trailers for industrial, construction, and specialized applications.A third manufacturing plant expansion took place to accommodate the additional E-P Trailer sales, and now Duo Lift® has over 40,000 square feet of manufacturing space.
-
1998 - Jim and Connie Hellbusch selected as the Agribusiness Pioneers of the Year by the Columbus Chamber of Commerce.
-
1999 - Jim Hellbusch elected President of FEMA (Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association)
-
2001 - Jim Hellbusch receives Columbus Chamber of Commerce Archway Award, Outstanding Businessman of the Year.
-
2002 - Duo Lift® diversifies and introduces a Salt Brinemaker to the market. This machine produces salt brine to exact proportions to be used for anti-icing and de-icing of roads and highways.
-
2003 - 60th Anniversary Celebration: Duo Lift® celebrates 60 years of quality products and also introduces a new large capacity LB-2200 Lowboy wagon for anhydrous ammonia tanks and liquid poly tanks.
-
2004 - Expansion of Agricultural and Commercial sales territories. Connie Hellbusch named Chairman-elect of the Columbus Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
-
2005 - Connie Hellbusch elected Chairman of the Columbus Chamber of Commerce. The E-P division of Duo Lift® increases sales of utility trailers to construction companies and state departments.
-
2006 - Duo Lift® holds its Bi-Annual Distributor Meeting in Columbus, NE were two new liquid wagons are unveiled with promise that more new products are to come! Duo Lift® also expands its Sales Department with the addition of John Lehmkuhl and Ben Hellbusch to the Sales Department. Duo Lift® also continues to work with more utility companies and state governments.
-
2007 - The TD-1200-CB Tandem Cone Bottom, SLB-1200-CB-A Lowboy Cone Bottom, and the SLB-1010 Lowboy Drainable unveiled at last years Distributor Meeting are launched into the market. All of these wagons are available with an adjustable track.
Duo Lift is named Large Business of the Year by the Columbus Telegram. Connie Hellbusch receives the Athena Award, Outstanding Business Woman of the Year, presented by the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce and Ernst Auto Center.
-
2008 - David Hellbusch was added to the Sales Department. Duo Lift expands and moves the shipping department to an additional 8,000 SQ. FT. facility. This facility is dedicated to loading trucks and stacking trailers as well as a new parts department. Duo Lift also expands 750 SQ. FT. to main plant for additional machine shop space and added new CNC Lathe and CNC Milling machines to increase productivity and flexibility to meet market demands. Duo Lift introduces the LB-3303 Low Boy wagon for (3) 1000 gallon NH3 tanks and the N-3303 a high clearance wagon for (3) 1000 gallon NH3 tanks along with the LB-4400 Low Boy Wagon for (2) 2000 gallon tanks. The SLB-3400-CB Liquid Low Boy wagon for (2) 1700 gallon cone bottom tanks are introduced. The SLB models are also available for (2) 1200 gallon cone bottom tanks, single liquid cone bottom tanks and other liquid tanks. Duo Lift celebrates 65th anniversary.
-
2009 - Duo Lift named the Nebraska Small Business of the Year by the Small Business Administration. Jim and Connie Hellbusch and family attended the SBA convention in Washington D.C. along with the other state winners. They received their award from Karen Mills, the Director of the Small Business Administration.
-
2010 - The installation of a precision, large format flat-bed laser-cutting table enables new levels of efficiency and quality control to the manufacturing process. David Hellbusch moves Plant Operations to focus his efforts on the production process.
-
2011 - Duo Lift begins Phase 1 of another expansion. Phase 1 adds 20,000 additional square feet of production capacity upgrading paint line and paint booth capacity. Expansion completed and operational, increasing efficiency of the manufacturing process. Duo Lift continues to add to staff to meet growth of product lines and strong ag economy.
-
2012 – Duo Lift begins Phase 2 of expansion. An additional 20,000 square feet of fabrication space and warehouse storage increases production capacity and efficiency. Two new robotic welders are added to speed automation and enhance product quality. The office complex expands by 2,000 to accommodate staff and growth.
-
2013 - Phase two expansion to be completed in March. Duo Lift’s main offices are being completely remodeled along with the expansion to strengthen our customer support and service. Ben Hellbusch moves to VP of Sales. David Hellbusch moves to VP of Plant Operations. Paul Hottovy hired May 6 as Director of Sales for Agricultural Equipment and Kurt Oehlrich named Director of Sales for Fertilizer Equipment. Tedd Martinez is promoted to Sales Coordinator. Andrew Schumacher is named Parts Manager. We are hopeful that everyone will have a great year. Think Rain.