how it all began
We are frequently asked where the name Riwal comes from. The answer is simple but unexpected. In the late 60’s Dick Schalekamp Sr. became General Manager of the Dutch-based division of British crane rental firm Richards & Wallington. Almost two decades later the firm added aerial work platforms to its portfolio under the name Riwal, an abbreviated and shortened version of Richards & Wallington.
In 1995, Riwal became the official dealer of JLG Industries in the Netherlands – a popular and reputable manufacturer of lifts. On the 30th anniversary of the company, the various company departments merged under a single name: Riwal.
In 2001, Riwal took its first steps outside the national borders of the Netherlands by establishing Riwal in Denmark. The following years Riwal broadened its international interests further still and opened branches in Slovenia, France, Norway, Kazakhstan, Brazil, Croatia, Poland, Spain, United Kingdom, Germany, India and Sweden.
Riwal UK was launched in June 2009. By offering premium quality aerial work platforms allied to high levels of service and reliability, the UK arm of Riwal quickly filled a gap in the market. The first depot was in the Midlands (Wellingborough), the second in June 2010 in London South (Kent), followed by Wigan in 2013 to supply increased demand in the North West. In 2019 we opened our world-class depot in Hemel Hempstead, North London.