JLG founder John L. Grove

Aerial work platform and telehandler manufacturer JLG Industries has kicked off its year-long 50th anniversary celebrations, marking a half-century since its founder spearheaded the access industry with the introduction of the world's first boom lift, commonly referred to as JLG 1.

On January 9, 1969, John L. Grove rallied a small group of people around one big idea - to create a safer way to work at height. This seed idea came to life with the introduction of the first aerial work platform.

"Fifty years is a remarkable milestone for both JLG and the access industry," says Frank Nerenhausen, JLG president. "Our founder not only started a company, but an entire industry. This is a key point of differentiation for the JLG brand. We continue to build on this legacy through continuous development of products, services and technology that advance safety for work at height."

Since its introduction of the first commercially produced aerial work platform, JLG has claimed many access industry firsts-including oscillating axles for boom and scissor lifts in 1981, the only fuel-cell powered boom lift in 1999, the first environmentally friendly 60 ft. (18 m) electric boom lift in 2000, and the first straight boom lift to reach 150 ft. (45 m) in 2011. The company surpassed its own record in 2014 with the introduction of a 185 ft. (56 m) model, 1850SJ, the world's tallest self-propelled boom lift. In the same year, JLG introduced the first true hybrid diesel/electric boom lift, the H340AJ.

Today, JLG is represented across five continents, with manufacturing facilities in the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Romania, Australia and China.

The company's product portfolio has also steadily expanded over the years to include a variety of hydraulic and electric drive scissor lifts, telescopic handlers, vertical lifts and a wide-range of low-level access solutions.