Founded in 1991, Robert Hydraulique Inc. has over the years developed a line of innovative hydraulic aerial ladders with working heights from 35 to 50 feet.

 

Robert Hydraulique (RH) is a manufacturer of insulated and non-insulated hydraulic aerial ladders. Innovation, reliability and effectiveness characterize its line of specialized equipment and form the basis for RH’s outstanding and ever-expanding 
reputation in the industries it serves. 

 

Robert Hydraulique’s mission is to “develop market-specific products and create high-tech concepts that meet its clients’ most demanding requirements”. Emerging from these objectives are versatile, long-lasting hydraulic aerial ladders that can operate a wide range of application areas. And it’s these products and capabilities that form the basis for the growing success of RH equipment. 

 

Our hydraulic ladders are used in the following sectors: government projects, telecommunications, cable television, public works, electrical contracting, sign design and installation, tree trimming, and building and ski resort maintenance.


 

First prototype of a dielectric ladder in a semi-vacant plant in 1997.

In 2005

 

Robert Hydraulique obtained its first South Korean order for a new type of four-section ladder to be manufactured for a company based in Seoul. Contracts followed for numerous other components to upfit ladder trucks. Since then, more than 50 fire trucks in South Korea have been equipped with RH telescoping ladders. 

 

Also in 2005, Robert Desrosiers took a more active role in AMETVS (Specialty Vehicles and Transportation Equipment
 Manufacturers’ Association) and became the secretary of its Board of Directors. Within a year, he was promoted to Vice-Chair, and two years later he was elected Chair of the Board.  


 

In 2006

 

In 2006, Carl Desrosiers joined Robert Hydraulique team after having spent six years as a project manager for Expertech, a telephone network installer owned by BCE. Having grown up in the world of aerial ladder devices, he has the background and expertise to provide continuity in Robert Hydraulique’s management for decades to come.     

 

In 2008-2009, Robert Hydraulique created numerous new projects, including the development and production of a ladder adapted for ski resorts (BR, see picture), cable-television-specific equipment (RH44T) and mainly, the first light version ladder with only two sections (RHL37).

Background 

Robert Desrosiers founded Robert Hydraulique in October 1991 with the objective of offering repair and maintenance services for hydraulic components and aerial ladder and bucket systems of all kinds. At the beginning, the company had only 3 employees and operated out of a shop facility on rue Charles-Marchand in Le Gardeur, Quebec. Those were the conditions when Robert Hydraulique carried out its first major contract, reconditioning several aerial ladder units for a large-scale telecommunications company. In just two years, rapid growth compelled Robert Hydraulique to move to a new location and increase its staff to about 20 employees. 


Around this time, Robert Desrosiers conceived of the idea of creating a hydraulic aerial ladder that would revolutionize the market. After selling its maintenance operation and expertise to RentWay (now operating under the name of Penske) in 1998, Robert Hydraulique tapped into five years of research and development to open a production plant and officially establish itself as a manufacturer of hydraulic aerial ladders. 

 

Success was almost instantaneous, with users quick to recognize the added value inherent in RH aerial ladders. The quality, strength, safety and many other advantages of these hydraulic ladders were clearly evident to bucket truck operators. Initially, RH telescoping ladders came in eight models (3 insulated and 5 non-insulated), with working heights ranging from 35 to 50 feet.

A temple engulfed in flames in downtown Seoul is an opportunity to put an RH ladder into action (right side of photo). 


Robert Desrosiers training bucket truck operators on the occasion of the first delivery to Cameroon in June 2009.

In 2009

 

In early 2009, Robert Hydraulique signed its first business deal in Africa with the sale of insulated telescoping ladders to an electrical company in Cameroon. The quality, strength and dielectric properties of the buckets were key points in the company’s procurement decisions. This is just one example of RH ladders being deployed and successfully operated in challenging conditions and environments. At the end of 2009 the RH team grow bigger and greet Aude Bélanger as the director of the engineering and conception department.

In 2010

 

After a long period of strategic negotiations, RH aerial equipment established a foothold in Indonesia, which has the potential to be a very promising market for Robert Hydraulique.    RH also manage to add a strategic member in the organization, Jonathan Lesage as the Director of operations. Young and filled with energy, our team is ready to conquer the Aerial lift equipment market.    

Press conference &t deal signature between RH and PLN.  
Right : first RH bucket truck unit assembly by Surabaya’s workers.


2011

 

In 2011 the Quebec government (CGER/ Management Center of Wheeled Vehicle) approached us improve an existing product that was too heavy for our road during our more than generous thawing period. It was preventing them to work a month or two at a time and had to find a solution. Thriving on challenges, RH took the project under their wing and developed a similar but lighter and improved unit that was called RHP14. This unit isn’t our usual piece of equipment. It is a platform that can stretch to the side all the way to 16 ft, with a 26-degree elevation it can go all the way up to 14 ft.

In 2012

 

is the year of major advancements in Indonesia.  After multiple visits by Carl Desrosiers and Robert Desrosiers in South-East Asia, RH Ladder as establish an office base in Jakarta, built up a partnership with Adicitra who will assembly the RH bucket truck in their facilities in Surabaya, built and get the approval of a demo bucket truck by the employees of the national electricity company. And finally get the first significant order by the end of 2012 after three years of hard work with numbers of ours international relations.

2013

 

2013 was a decisive year; big changes were made at RH to give the opportunity to fix new standards and to give the company the push to climb another step in its progression.  

In 2013 decisions were needed and taken. To push and offer a greater and consistent product, RH Equipment has to bring external restriction subcontracting limitation to internal production and quality control standard.

 

A new 20 000 ft2 production plant was built to accommodate a much greater production capabilities and efficiency. 

 

Numerous tools and machine addition were also integrated in this facility such as, robot welding, CNC machining, water jet, 5 axis cutting table, press brakes and more.

 

With new production line, RH equipment has growth their production capabilities by more than 6 times with a better quality control and a 47% faster pace.

 

New capabilities gave a new launch to development and new product that will show up few years later.

In 2014

 

2014 NAFFCO reached out to us to help them create a faster fire truck to assist in local airports. Here is a little piece of NAFFCO history so you know how important this step is. It is an enterprise that was founded in Dubai, UAE to become the world's leading producer and supplier of life safety solutions. They saw the importance and how useful of having easy access to multiple safety services, they specialized in offering complete solutions under one roof for all types of high quality firefighting equipment, mobile hospitals and airport rescue firefighting vehicles. That is where we fit in. Since we can mount our units on a smaller (faster) vehicle, we installed an RHL37 on a Ford Service body with our aluminum bucket. 

In 2015

 

a new challenge was waiting. The SOPFEU (Government Air Service Quebec), was the request of 10 RHS34. This is Last Provided UN - Who staircase self-leveling and facilitates the maintenance of UN aircraft. It's 10 Wonders Were Distributed Across Quebec, more particularly to the airport Jean Lesage.  On July 31, California lived a tragedy named  "Rough Fire" who took end November 5, 2015. It was during this event that California called on our air tankers and other orders for the RHS34 followed.

In addition that year, SSAB with the program ’’My inner STRENX’’ approached RH to become partner and be the 3rd company is the world to be part of that program. My Inner Strenx™ is a program for manufacturers who are thriving to make the best possible products using Strenx™ performance steel. It’s also a way for customers, operators and end users to identify manufacturers and products made with superior steel and quality-controlled production. In the never-ending battle to improve the performance of our units, the use of Strenx® steel products, less weight wins. In order to refine our product line we knew we needed to use lighter and stronger steel that can be used in thinner dimensions. Strenx® performance steel became our solution to this challenge. SSAB call it a performance steel, because it adds performance beyond ordinary high-strength steel. With Strenx steel, we can justify more payloads, cut down on fuel consumption, CO2 emissions and aerial lift users can improve their business by reaching higher, faster and further.

Robert Desrosiers, Maurice Picard (SSAB), Jannie Chamberland (SSAB),  Aude Bélanger,  Jonathan Lesage,  Carl Desrosiers

In 2016

Innovation is the name of that big year. Why? In order to step up their game, RH increase their engineering team to finalized, develop and create new products. With our engineering department, we have developed an innovative concept of distributing the overall aerial lift equipment weight on the entire vehicle, which creates increased structural strength of our unit. Moreover, beyond 50% of the aerial lift equipment has been optimized for this concept; the base, platform and internal structure in order to maximize the cargo space. This specific technic is applicable, at that point, on the Sprinter (Mercedes or Freightliner).

We are also very proud to announce that we are finally capable to install our units on the Transit T350 and the GMC Savana 3500 and yet to be respectful of all regulations  (CSA, OSHA, DOT, ANSI + more) and honour the body builder guide of each vehicle. We have also developed a system to embed in the floor our energy source to maximize the cargo space and meet the regulations (CMVSS/ FMVSS 105 & 126) in regard to the gravity center. 

Ford Transit

2016 continues

Innovation is the name of that big year. Why? In order to step up their game and now that our line of products is bigger than ever, RH develops the US market and expend their horizon. New distributors are added to the RH family to service better this great country.  RH succeeds in selling a unit to the DPW of Utica (NY) with our distributor Kurtz truck equipment.


LiftUP, having had a business relationship initiated by RH at its inception, serves as a B2B sales force for RH aerial lift equipment, covering all of the USA.

The vision, mission, and values that propel LiftUp forward:

Their mission is to serve as the sales force for distinctive, specialized, and, above all, high-quality lifting equipment! Through their business model, centered on providing exceptional customer service, technical training, and establishing a reliable and genuinely effective customer service network, they aim to bring value to their clients. Cultivating enduring, trust-based relationships founded on win-win strategies is their guiding principle.

Their objective is to furnish clients with top-notch products tailored to their current and future lifting equipment requirements. Moreover, they are committed to ensuring the availability of their products nationwide. Additionally, their primary drive is to forge enduring, mutually beneficial partnerships with their clients and suppliers.

Their foremost ambition is to introduce LiftUP to the USA market, foster robust collaboration with numerous distributors, and collaborate with them to ensure mutually profitable growth and success.

Distributors wholeheartedly embrace LiftUP's values to provide service that surpasses customer expectations and demands. They prioritize accessible, professional, and personalized customer service. Every piece of LiftUP equipment undergoes rigorous double and triple examination for safety and functionality because the safety of customers is paramount!

Their 5 core values:

Responsibility / Collaboration / Commitment / Integrity / Respect

That’s not all! October 1st becomes a significant date for Robert, Carl and Jonathan

After many years of pushing the company further and prove their professionalism their outstanding efficiency, Robert made the decision to give lead, to continue the venture and selling the manufacture to the key members. From that day on, Jonathan Lesage (with RH since 2010) has become the president and Carl Desrosiers (with RH since 2006) the vice president of RH.  Along with an experimented and devoted team, filled with vibrant energy, their involvement remains the same, which brought success to the company. Even more so, it is the RH philosophy: safety, quality and sustainability! The only thing that will change is the name of the company for RH Equipment instead of Robert Hydraulique inc. since they manufacture so much more than just ladders. We can count now about 20 different RH models insulated (dielectric) or not, platforms, auto-levelling steps, tow behind and without mentioning our classics and more.

2017

Let’s start 2017 with a BANG!  It is during a discussion between RH Aerial Lift Equipment inc. and Cisolift Distribution inc. that the idea came to conceive a completely different and new piece of equipment a few years back. In association with Cisolift, RH equipment outdid themselves and developed this brand new product that answers a specific need of which was ceaselessly increasing, but no solution existed just yet; let’s welcome the RHR series, an insulated towable aerial ladder available in 3 models! It combines the versatility of the towable boom and the safety of insulation against electric shocks.