In 2004, stairlifts were first introduced to China as part of a Shanghai municipal government initiative.
In December 2014, China's first stairlift installed in a standard residential complex was commissioned at the Sanhe Garden community in Shanghai's Jing'an District; the unit was donated by the British company Stannah. That same year, the term "stairlift" began appearing in media reports and gained widespread recognition.
Technologically, the product has undergone continuous improvements regarding its drive motors (such as Parvalux's BRx90 motor and GB9 gearbox) and control systems (featuring intelligent PLC control and pulse positioning).
According to the *2025 White Paper on the Development of China's Home Elevator Industry*, the market size for stairlifts is projected to grow from 520 million RMB in 2020 to 2.58 billion RMB in 2025. With a compound annual growth rate of 38.6%, this category represents the fastest-growing segment within the home elevator sector.
This product offers a viable solution to the mobility challenges faced by elderly residents-often referred to as "suspended seniors"-living in older residential communities.
