Published 6 August 2026
Clare Brophy, the new chief executive of TKE Home Solutions, has set out her plans for the home mobility division of TK Elevator in an interview with trade title THIIS Magazine, her first since taking the role. The business, formerly known under the Thyssenkrupp name, is one of the larger manufacturers in the UK stairlift, home lift and platform lift market, and its direction matters to anyone shopping for a lift over the next few years.
Brophy central observation is about how the market has changed. When she started out, she says, the sector was niche and product-led, and the conversation was about the equipment itself. Now it is about the whole experience around it: how people age in place, how independence is supported, and how mobility products can feel like part of everyday life rather than a medical intervention.
Design and installation quality are now the differentiators
That shift shows up in what buyers reject. Brophy notes that customers are better informed and less willing to accept products that feel institutional or that compromise the look of a home. For a piece of equipment that will be bolted to the staircase of a house someone has lived in for decades, that is not vanity, it is a genuine factor in whether the lift gets bought at all, and in whether family members support the decision.
She also points to the pressure on the dealer network. Trade partners now expect faster response times, clearer information, stronger training, better aftercare, and products that are simpler to specify and install. For customers, dealer support is not an abstraction: it determines how quickly a fault gets fixed, how well the surveyor measures a curved staircase, and whether the installer gets it right first time. A manufacturer that invests in training and parts availability produces a noticeably better experience at the customer end.
Ageing population, housing pressure and the retrofit market
Brophy describes the UK opportunity as significant, citing an ageing population, pressure on housing and care, and a national conversation about helping people stay independent for longer. That translates into demand in both retrofit and new-build settings. The retrofit side is where most UK households encounter the market: an existing home, an existing staircase, and a decision that usually gets made after a fall or a hospital discharge rather than in advance.
Her view that the next decade will be defined by collaboration between manufacturers, dealers, housing providers, occupational therapists and care professionals reflects how the market actually works. In practice, a large share of stairlift decisions involve an OT assessment or a council grant somewhere in the chain, and the suppliers who work well with those professionals tend to deliver smoother installations.
What to weigh up if you are buying
Manufacturer strategy is useful context, but the decisions that affect your bill are more specific. Straight stairlifts are broadly commoditised and typically the cheapest option, while curved lifts are made to measure for your staircase and cost considerably more, which is why our stairlift costs guide separates the two. Reconditioned straight lifts can cut the price substantially, and stairlift rental is worth considering if the need is temporary, for example during recovery from surgery.
Whichever route you take, the aftercare terms deserve as much attention as the headline price. Check what the warranty covers, what a callout costs once it expires, and whether the servicing contract includes parts and labour or labour only. Ask what happens at the end of the lift life too, since removal is sometimes free if the company can resell the unit. Getting three quotes remains the single most effective way to avoid overpaying, and you can start that process through our stairlift quote service.
Sources: THIIS Magazine, TKE Home Solutions.
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- Stairlifts: complete buying guide
- Stairlift costs and prices
- Stairlift servicing and repairs
- Home lifts explained
Published 6 August 2026
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