French inventor Mr. Simon Faure originally conceived the design and filed a patent for what eventually would become the Tirfor in 1929. This design laid the groundwork for The Tractel Group, who would eventually acquire a trademark license for the grip hoist.
Unlike conventional hoists, the Tirfor works with a proprietary Maxiflex wire rope that passes completely through the unit, giving it virtually unlimited rope length and flexibility. All models feature self-gripping jaws, overload protection, and precise load control in any direction.