Our Story
Built From
The Ground Up.
All The Way Up was founded by Chris Schwaemmle — a tradesman who started in flat roofing, trained as a welder, and became one of the most experienced construction elevator specialists in Ontario.
"Answer the phone. Be honest. Don't mislead. Let the work speak for itself. That's it. That's the whole business.
— Chris Schwaemmle, Founder & Owner
The Background
How We Got Here
Flat Roofing to Welding College
Chris started in flat roofing — a trade that built the work ethic everything else would run on. From there he went to welding college, which opened the door to Avro Hoist. Three months in as a welder, they made him foreman and put him on elevator installations. Avro enrolled him in elevator college — and because there was no EDM-B course available at the time, he completed the EDM-A course instead, one of the most rigorous paths into the trade.
Early Career
Hired to Save a Department. Sold $9M in One Year.
Aluma Safway brought Chris in while they were hemorrhaging $100,000 a month and struggling to meet deadlines. His experience and consulting on efficient, practical installs made an immediate impact. But the real test came when the company announced they were closing the hoist department within a year — offering a bonus structure to wind it down: $30K at 6 months, $60K at 12 months.
Aluma Safway
Complete Control. Complete Turnaround.
Chris took three days off, walked into corporate, and made his case: give him complete control of the hoist department — sales, billing, service, refurbishment, and crews. He had one year. Any hoist he sold had to be installed and out before a specific job, roughly 15 months out. In 12 months, he sold $9 million in rentals. In a single deal, he moved $3.2 million across three sites, bought six new elevators, and paid them off after the first job.
Aluma Safway — Year 1
Setting the Bar for the Industry
Over eight years at Aluma Safway, Chris built a reputation on a simple philosophy: answer the phone, be honest, don't mislead, and let the work speak for itself. He never talked down about competitors. He focused on being reliable — showing up, seeing issues before they became problems, and working with sites rather than against them. That approach set a new standard for what a hoist company could be.
Aluma Safway — 8 Years
Why We're Different
The Philosophy Behind All The Way Up
After eight years at Aluma Safway, Chris had seen what separated the companies that thrived from the ones that didn't. It wasn't equipment. It wasn't price. It was reliability and honesty.
He never talked down about competitors. He focused on being the company that answered the phone — that showed up, that was straight with clients about timelines and costs, and that worked with sites to anticipate problems before they became expensive ones.
All The Way Up was built on that same foundation. We're a small, specialized team — which means every client gets the owner's attention, every project gets the right operator, and nothing falls through the cracks.
Licensing & Credentials
Licensed Where Others Aren't
- EDM-A Certified (completed when EDM-B was unavailable)
- EDMT Licensed — mandatory Ontario credential for elevator work
- TSSA compliant across all installations and submissions
- Union Local 793 — all operators and mechanics
- Two EDM-B mechanics on staff
- 15+ years in the construction elevator industry
Track Record
Landmark Projects
First Canadian Place
Toronto, ON
Trump Tower / St. Regis Hotel
Toronto, ON
KPMG / Brookfield Place
Toronto, ON
PCL — 160 Front St.
Toronto, ON
Parliament Building
Ottawa, ON
Marilyn Monroe Towers
Mississauga, ON
Delta Hotel
Mississauga, ON
Cameco
Saskatoon, SK
1 York Villa
Toronto, ON
OPG
Ontario Power Generation
Sarnia Gasoline Alley
Sarnia, ON
Manhattan Residential
Up to 1,600ft — New York, NY
Work With Us
READY TO TALK?
Whether you need licensed labor, want to explore owning your hoist, or just have a question — Chris picks up the phone.