PowerLift Hydraulic Doors

PowerLift Hydraulic Doors was founded by Rick and Patti Peterson, who still own it. Rick Peterson opened a welding shop in Lake Benton, Minnesota, in 1988 and, by the company's account, started North America's first production line of hydraulic doors in 1992. Instead of one factory, PowerLift grew into a network of more than 40 manufacturing and service centers across North America, each a separately owned business that fabricates, delivers, installs and services doors locally. The site does not name a headquarters city, though a Lake Benton address appears on its locations list.

Its aircraft hangar doors are one-piece hydraulic doors built to order for planes, jets and helicopters. PowerLift says they need zero inches of headroom, which lets a new hangar be built lower, and that an outside-mount option increases clear height and width when replacing an older bifold, fabric or overhead door. Airport projects on its site include 14 doors on a new T-hangar at Bartow Executive Airport in Florida, 81 doors across six T-hangars and three box hangars at Page Field, and doors from 52 to 80 feet wide at Casper/Natrona County Airport.

Buyers contact the PowerLift location nearest the project, which handles the quote, fabrication, installation and support, so warranty and service terms come from that local business. The model suits airports that want one door style across a row of T-hangars and a service source nearby. PowerLift does not publish pricing. Its project gallery also lists Canton, Columbus-Lowndes County, Fernandina Beach and Hayward Executive airports, among others. The same centers build doors for agricultural, commercial and architectural buildings, so hangar work sits alongside shop and boathouse jobs.