History

1943

Nebraska farmer and inventor, Arthur Hellbusch establishes Duo Lift in his milk barn with a simple goal: to manufacture and sell innovative products to farmers just like him. Art's first product, a wagon lift mechanism, was designed to improve grain handling by incorporating a custom-made lift to slide between a wagon box and running gear, which through a series of pulleys, cables, and a crank handle lifted the wagon box and allowed grain to be emptied out the back, rather than scooped. The Duo Lift wagon lift was an instant success and improved the speed of which it took for farmers to distribute grain, thus marking the beginning of a successful career and business.

1950's

The family decided to irrigate their farm by using irrigation pipe, which provided the opportunity to expand the Duo Lift product line. Irrigation pipe transport trailers are designed and manufactured to transport pipe to and from the field.

1969

Jim Hellbusch graduates from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and joins the family business. Jim hired his first full time employee and begins to expand the Duo Lift product line, designing, manufacturing, and distributing trailers for all types of machinery, irrigation engines, automobiles, and snowmobiles.

1970's

Duo Lift increases the volume of pipe trailers and custom-built trailers sold across the United States. Sales also expand internationally, as Duo Lift begins exporting to several foreign countries.

1981

Art Hellbusch retires, and Jim Hellbusch becomes President of Duo Lift®. Jim's wife, Connie, joins the business.

Duo Lift expands into the fertilizer industry, designing and manufacturing its first anhydrous ammonia running gear.

A distributor network is established in the early 1980s to expand the fertilizer line with running gears and trailers built for anhydrous ammonia tanks, liquid fertilizer tanks, and dry fertilizer tenders and spreaders.

1985

Duo Lift joins the Farm Equipment Manufacturing Association.

Duo Lift is awarded its first patent for the Duo Lift 1110 soil sampling machine.

1988

Duo Lift's® first major plant expansion takes place to accommodate additional sales.

The governor of Nebraska appoints Jim Hellbusch to the advisory board of the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (EPA). Jim is still serving and has been president for over 20 years.

1990

Jim Hellbusch is elected to the FEMA (Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association) Board of Directors. FEMA is a national organization for manufacturers of short line farm equipment.

1994

Duo Lift® is selected as Small Business of the Year by Columbus, NE Telegram newspaper.

A second manufacturing plant expansion takes place. The irrigation, custom, and fertilizer trailer lines all remain strong entities for Duo Lift®.

1995

Duo Lift® purchases the Evans-Plugge Company, known as E-P Trailers, a long-time manufacturer of commercial and industrial trailers. This acquisition allows Duo Lift to offer a wider variety of trailers for industrial, construction, and specialized applications.

A third manufacturing plant expansion takes place to accommodate the additional E-P Trailer sales, accounting for over 40,000 square feet of manufacturing space for the company.

1998

Jim and Connie Hellbusch are selected as the Agribusiness Pioneers of the Year by the Columbus, NE Chamber of Commerce.

1999

Jim Hellbusch elected President of FEMA (Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association)

2001

Jim Hellbusch receives the Columbus, NE Chamber of Commerce Archway Award for Outstanding Businessman of the Year.

2002

Duo Lift® diversifies and introduces a salt brine maker to the market. This machine produces salt brine to exact proportions to be used for the anti-icing and de-icing of roads and highways.

2003

Duo Lift® celebrates 60 years of quality products with a special celebration.

A new, large-capacity LB-2200 Lowboy wagon for anhydrous ammonia tanks and liquid poly tanks is introduced to the product line-up. This industry-changing product was the first of its kind, and has served as the model for numerous spin offs within the industry.

2004

Sales territory expansion for the agricultural and commercial business units.

Connie Hellbusch is named Chairman-elect of the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

2005

Connie Hellbusch is elected Chairman of the Columbus Chamber of Commerce.

The E-P division of Duo Lift® expands sales of utility trailers to construction companies and state departments.

2006

Ben Hellbusch graduates from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in May 2005, and joins the Duo Lift sales department.

Duo Lift® holds its Bi-Annual Distributor Meeting in Columbus, NE. Two new liquid wagons are unveiled.

2007

Duo Lift is named Large Business of the Year by the Columbus Telegram.

Connie Hellbusch receives the Athena Award for Outstanding Business Woman of the Year, presented by the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce and Ernst Auto Center.

The TD-1200-CB Tandem Cone Bottom, SLB-1200-CB-A Lowboy Cone Bottom, and the SLB-1010 Lowboy Drainable wagons are launched with an industry-changing adjustable track.

2008

Duo Lift celebrates 65th anniversary.

David Hellbusch graduates from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and joins Duo Lift in the Sales Department.

Duo Lift expands and moves the shipping department to an additional 8,000 SQ. FT. facility, dedicated to loading trucks and stacking trailers. The building also includes space for a new parts department.

Duo Lift also expands 750 SQ. FT. to the main plant for additional machine shop space and adds 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.

2009

Duo Lift is named the Nebraska Small Business of the Year by the Small Business Administration of the United States. Jim and Connie Hellbusch attend the SBA convention in Washington D.C. along with their family and other state winners. Duo Lift's award is presented by Karen Mills, President Obama's Administrator 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 to Plant Operations to focus his efforts on the production process.

2011

Duo Lift begins Phase 1 of another expansion, adding 20,000 additional square feet of production capacity and manufacturing process efficiency by upgrading paint line and paint booth capacity.

Duo Lift continues to add staff to meet the growth of product lines and a strong ag economy.

2012

Duo Lift begins Phase 2 of the manufacturing expansion. An additional 20,000 square feet of fabrication space and warehouse storage increases production capacity and efficiency. Three new robotic welders are added to speed automation and enhance product quality. The office complex expands by 2,000 sq. ft. to accommodate staff and growth.

2013

Phase two expansion completes. Duo Lift's main office is remodeled in addition to the manufacturing expansion to strengthen customer support and service.

Ben Hellbusch named Vice President of Sales.

David Hellbusch named Vice President of Plant Operations.

2015

Ben Hellbusch is elected to the FEMA (Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association) Board of Directors. FEMA is a national organization for manufacturers of short line farm equipment.

The governor of Nebraska appoints Jim Hellbusch to the Nebraska Environmental Trust Board of Directors.

2016

Duo Lift introduces the LB1 Lowboy wagon, the first and only universal lowboy of its kind on the market.

2017

Executive Director of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce nominates Jim Hellbusch to serve on the Nebraska Manufacturing Extension Partnership board of directors. Jim was elected and has since server as president twice.

2018

Duo Lift celebrates 75 years with a special celebration honoring the company's legacy in the agriculture and fertilizer industries.

Duo Lift introduces the first All-Steer Head Hauler trailer on the market offering up to six four-steerable axles to easily transport combine headers at highway speeds. The All-Steer head hauler is the first and only trailer on the market with a dolly front axle to support a turning radius of a 4x4 pickup.

2022

Ben Hellbusch is elected President of FEMA (Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association).

Duo Lift introduces the AST62 head hauler trailer, the first all-steer head hauler on the market with eight steerable wheels to transport heads up to 60' at highway speeds, accommodating class 10 combines.

Through the years Jim Hellbusch/Duo Lift have been issued 18 patents of which 5 have since terminated.