Interview: AXCS and its transition to mainstream MEWP manufacturer

US-based AXCS Equipment has an ambitious set of goals following its acquisition and rebranding, which includes expanding its product portfolio from the traditional low level access to become a mainstream MEWP and material handling equipment manufacturer for the North American market.

The company is also expandings it production capabilities in the US to manufacture MEWPs currently supplied by sister company ELS Lift in Turkey.

Eric Liner, CEO, AXCS Equipment.

All this comes off the back of a positive 2025, says Eric Liner, President and CEO of AXCS Equipment, formerly known as Custom Equipment which produced the well-known Hy-Brid Lifts models - more about the restructure later.

“We had a nice year last year and we’re cautiously optimistic 2026 is going to be a nice year as well again,” comments Liner, “But there is some uncertainty in the marketplace with the changes to the tariff policies and so forth that has teetered back and forth.”

Apart from anything else the tariffs have prompted AXCS to accelerate its manufacturing plans at its Milwaukie headquarters in the US.

“We’re going to end up onshoring all of the scissor products that we’re purchasing from the sister company ELS and manufacture here locally in the North American market,” says Liner.

“We’re now in the works of consolidating operations into a larger facility onboarding, some new manufacturing equipment - lasers, press brakes and robots, etc. - all of the equipment and tooling necessary to expand the line.

New structure and goals 

Custom Equipment rebranded to AXCS Equipment in February last year, following its acquisition by Turkish construction and agriculture equipment producer ASKO Holding. The group includes MEWP manufacturer ELS Lift and MST Construction Equipment, both based in Turkey.

Since then, AXCS Equipment has introduced products from ELS and MST to the North American market under its name.

“From that point forward we started working transitioning of the brand over to AXCS Equipment and now we’re gradually going away from the Hy-Brid Lifts name as well.”

MST produces a range of products including wheel and backhoe loaders, skid steers and excavators. “They’ve also got a full line of European style telehandlers and are now manufacturing North American telehandlers for us.”

AXCS will continue to offer its legacy products - the zero turning radius Pro series, along with its range of push around products, but following the acquisition that has now increased to slab scissors from 26ft to 45ft, all of which are from the ELS line-up, rebranded as AXCS.

The AXCS equipment range. (Image: AXCS).

“We will end up redesigning some of those, as there are some differences between the markets - North America has some job specific requirements and different standards,” Liner confirms.

There will be two new production lines by the end of the year, followed by another at the start of 2027 as well. “We will produce the full range by the conclusion of 2027,” adds Liner, including telehandlers for the US market.”

This is a major step for AXCS, which has essentially focused on low level access since Custom Equipment introduced its Hy-Brid Lifts range in 2004. Therefore, rather than going straight into full production there will likely be a phasing in period.

“It’s a bigger animal - we don’t have the facilities or the equipment for a lot of this at the moment. So, potentially, we’ll import sub-assemblies and do some of the final assembly here as we continue to expand and grow the footprint of the product.”

More than that, adds Liner, “All of the sister product from ELS and all of the telehandler products from MST are new to us.”

It means the company is no longer a niche manufacturer. “We have entered into the mainstream, including the rental and traditional construction equipment that you see on jobsites - be it from a 45ft slab scissor all the way down to a 10ft scissor.”

“We’ve now got a full portfolio product, which allows us to be a one stop shop on the scissor side of the business.

‘Unique opportunity’

As Liner mentioned, the tariffs in the US simply hastened the company’s plans to manufacture in the US. “It has accelerated our schedule of integration or onshoring of the products from what it was originally. At the end of the day, the closer you are to your customers the better off you are from a support standpoint and from a feel for the market standpoint.”

As of April 2026, the US imposed 50% Section 232 tariffs on most steel and aluminium imports, increased from 25% in June 2025.

Then there were the IEEPA reciprocal tariffs that were turned over earlier this year and replaced by the new Section 122 on 20th of February, imposing 10% blanket tariff on imports from all countries.

Although, adds Liner, no matter how much onshoring a company does it can never wholly avoid the tariffs impact. “We’re so globalised as a manufacturing base, there are a lot of things that are just simply manufactured outside of the US that we require.

“But I think we can minimise the cost impact of the supply base far more successfully if we’re manufacturing in the US. It is what it is – it’s the business environment we live in right now and we just need to react and forge a path forward.”

Liner is cautiously optimistic that AXCS will benefit more than some others in the current economic climate in the US. “We have a unique opportunity because we’re small and we’re growing.

“We’re a new brand, which means we are continuing to develop brand presence, expand our portfolio of customers and integrate larger machines. Telehandlers, for example, are more dealer based, so we’re establishing a dealer network here as well and laying a strong foundation.”

This will be aided by a return to normality following the Covid years. “I think we’re finally to a point where you’re seeing a more traditional fleet purchasing and replacement cycle, with peaks and valleys - the ebbs and flows of the business model, which is nice because it gives you a little more predictability.”

And the company plans on expanding the equipment range. A new line set to be introduced in the US at the end of the year, is a vertical mast series, incorporating 15ft, 20ft and 25ft models. “It will be a ground up product development, designed by AXCS in North America,” says Liner.

The next logical progression, he adds, will be to fill out the portfolio of scissors, with a move into tough terrains.

Booms will eventually follow. ELS currently has a 34ft articulated electric boom, but explains Liner, “It is more European in style and design, so we have not brought that over here yet, but we will continue to expand into that in the coming years.”

“We’ll end up launching a couple of new legacy products as well that will end up fully going away from the Hy-Brid name but with the same design philosophy - lightweight, nimble, confined spaces micro style machines.”

Asked why the company is moving away from the Hy-Brid Lifts name of old, Liner answers, “The word hybrid is interpreted as a vehicle - an automobile. It doesn’t fit well with telehandlers and as we continue to get larger scissor lift products and introduce new vertical masts products, they cannot be described as Hy-Brid Lifts. It just made better sense for us to go to AXCS Equipment, which is obviously a play on the industry name too.”

The reaction from customers to the transition has so far been positive, says Liner. “It has been very good, and they appreciate the fact that we continue to grow.

“The nice thing about a larger parent company is it gives you more capital and financial stability. It also gives you more resources to continue to build out your portfolio, support your customers better, and integrate with them more closely so that you’re hopefully providing products that solve problems that they’ve got in the industry.

“So, it’s been a good transition. We’ve gotten good reception from many of our long-term customers.”