What Qualifies as a Demountable Product or System

Demountable systems are truck-mounted equipment capable of loading and unloading containers or an array of body styles. Some also provide true dumping capabilities, emptying their contents either on the job site or in the landfill without removing the container or body. 

Types of demountable systems include: 

• Hook lifts
• Roll-off cable hoists
• Skiploaders (aka lugger loaders) 
• ISO shipping container handling systems

Demountable systems continue to grow in popularity around the world, for a number of reasons: safety, efficiency and versatility.

What is a hook lift?

A hook lift is a type of demountable system, capable of loading, unloading, and dumping. Safe or true dumping requires a dual pivot design. The hook lift is the most versatile product in the demountable product space. Essentially the Swiss army knife of the truck equipment world, you can load and operate nearly any body style: waste container, flatbed, dump body, water tank, chipper box, van body, salt/sand spreader, and many more.

The old school way of doing business is buying a one-dimensional work truck that serves a specialized purpose and may only be used seasonally. The hooklift changes all that. Now you can realistically have one truck capable of doing many things. If business in your primary industry slows down, you have a truck capable of just about anything. You can easily find new ways and opportunities to grow your business.

Why own a Hook Lift Truck?

Well, there are a number of reasons:

• Ease of use
• Versatility - change function or task to fit the need, by the hour or day
• Operating Speed - switch out bodies fast, in two minutes or less
• Flexibility
• Haul waste, deliver product, liquid applications, and more
• Deliver empty containers or bodies, fill as needed, pick up later
• True dumping capabilities
• Safety
• Secure the contents or load on the ground, not 5’ in the air
• 100% in-cab operation, safe from the elements or risks around a job site
• No broken cables
• Purchase different body styles needed for all the tasks you do or would like to do. Don’t purchase a new truck every time you’re ready to expand your company’s services or capabilities.
• Eliminate seasonal trucks
• Fewer trucks to license, insure, and/or maintain
• Excellent resale value

There are no real drawbacks to owning and operating a hooklift truck. The real question is, “Can my business benefit from having a truck(s) capable of multitasking?” When budgets are tight, there is no better way to stretch every dollar to its max.

Who Uses a Hook Lift?

The hook lift is used in a wide variety of industries: waste haulers, municipalities, landscapers, contractors, roofers, fire departments, universities, airports, and more. Again, anyone wanting to maximize and diversify their fleet of work trucks. Those looking for a year round workhorse that can operate in all weather conditions.

Imagine owning 1-2 work trucks or a fleet of single function trucks. What happens when one of them breaks down or is in need of service? That’s right, the work stops, income stops or slows, projects get delayed, and just maybe there are some unhappy customers along the way. However, if all of your trucks are outfitted with hook lift systems, it’s literally the next truck up approach. The work still gets done, on time, and without missing a beat.

Getting Started With a Hook Lift Truck?

There are two ways to get into a hook lift truck. One, you own or have purchased a truck. In that event, you’ll select the hook lift that best fits the truck’s specifications. There will be limitations, as the hook lift becomes the byproduct of the truck.

The other way is to start from scratch, which makes sense to start with your hook lift selection first: target GVWR, required capacity, required body lengths, required tasks, etc. Once you’ve selected a hooklift model that fits all your needs, then selecting a truck becomes easy, as the hook lift will dictate what truck specifications are required for use.

Making the Right Decision?

If you’ve come to the conclusion that doing more with less and maximizing your ROI is critical to your business’ success, then you’re ready to take the final step. What brand of hooklift am I going to purchase, and why?

Well, there are a few things to consider: 

• Getting maximum payload is crucial, as lost legal hauling capacity equals lost revenue
• Operating speed is also important, as you want to get in and out of job sites as quickly as possible
• Will the loading and unloading of the bodies be managed safely, throughout the entire cycle?
• Will the product’s finish hold up for years to come or look like it’s ten years old within the first year?
• Will the system notify me if the body is not down and ready for transport?
• Is the product tried and true?
• What kind of warranty am I getting?

These are all excellent things to consider, as you’re about to make a serious commitment to your business and budget. Fortunately, your search is already over. The MULTILIFT hook lift system checks all the boxes

MULTILIFT Hook Lift System

MULTILIFT is HIAB’s demountable products division, viewed as the world leader and innovator of demountable systems since 1944. With MULTILIFT, you can count on:

• Best-in-class legal payload
• Best-in-class operating speeds
• Best-in-class safe load handling
• Best-in-class fit and finish, all the way down to the zinc primer
• Body-up warning system included
• Unequaled product testing: 20,000 real-world cycles and additional fatigue testing, forcing each model to pass the equivalent of 150,000 cycles before ever entering production
• Best-in-class all parts warranty

You can get a quote for HIAB's demountable hook lift system at any time. Request a quote online to chat with a regional provider, or locate a dealer in your area. We're standing by to serve however we can. Contact us today, and we’ll make the dream a reality!!!