But in fact Vorpahl was born and raised in Berlin. His first job in the industry was to promote Demag’s hoist and crane business in Nairobi, Kenya, in 1965. After completing the contract he joined East African Engineering Works, an old established steel fabricator and began to build overhead cranes using SWF hoists whose dealership he had acquired.
In 1978 he left and emigrated to Canada, and acquired Detroit Hoist & Crane in 1991, where he remains president and CEO.
