John L. Grove, founder of JLG Industries, was honored posthumously with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Powered Access Federation and Access International at the annual International Awards for Powered Access conference. The IAPA lifetime achievement award is presented annually to an individual who made significant and lasting contributions to the powered access industry or played a key role in the industry during the course of a career or over many years.
“This recognition, in the 50th year of the company he founded, brings a huge sense of pride to our organization and will inspire us to continue innovating in his spirit,” said Frank Nerenhausen, president of JLG Industries. “John’s legacy can be seen around the world with safer, more accessible jobsites.”
Grove’s contributions to access date back to Jan. 9, 1969, when he put together a small group of people around the idea of creating a safer way to work at height. This seed idea led to the development of the JLG 1 aerial work platform. Grove’s passion for safety and his pioneering spirit has led to the growth of JLG, with more than 6,000 employees around the world.
Since the introduction of the first boomlift, the company has claimed many firsts, including oscillating axles for boom and scissorlifts in 1981, the only fuel-cell-powered boomlift in 1999, the first environmentally friendly 60-foot electric boomlift in 2000, and the first straight boomlift to reach 150 feet in 2011. The company introduced a 185-foot model, the 1850SJ in 2014. JLG introduced a true hybrid diesel/electric boomlift, the H340AJ in the same year.
“I doubt when Grove started he could have imagined how profoundly he would impact construction sites around the globe just 50 years later,” added Nierenhausen. “Inspired by his work, JLG will continue to be driven by Grove’s passion for customer-inspired innovation, allowing the company to remain the access leader for the next 50 years.”
