Our History
Founded by Peter Whiffen & Margaret Whiffen in 1979, Adaptalift started as Forklift Engineering Australia. Peter Whiffen, a mechanical engineer by trade, started designing and manufacturing forklift attachments & bespoke lifting solutions. As demand grew for the rental of these attachments to be supplied with forklifts, Adaptalift Forklift Rentals & Sales was born.
Renamed to Adaptalift Group in 2016, the company has grown rapidly to become the largest Australian privately owned and operated forklift company. In 2023, Adaptalift Group expands operations into New Zealand with the first branch opening in Auckland.
In 2025, Adaptalift Group acquires Hyster New Zealand from Sime Darby Transport (NZ) Ltd further growing Adaptalift Group operations in New Zealand from one to ten branches nationwide.
Combining Hyster NZ’s (formerly Gough Materials Handling) 80 years of local New Zealand expertise, as well as over 45 years of Australian expertise, together Hyster NZ and Adaptalift Group looks to deliver next-generation solutions for tomorrow’s materials handling needs.
Whether you’re a small business or a large enterprise, Adaptalift Group are here to assist in finding the perfect materials handling solutions for your unique requirements.
Adaptalift has 10 branches across NZ.
Branch Addresses