Big Joe Forklifts Marks 75 Years in Material Handling

Big Joe Forklifts is celebrating its 75th anniversary, marking more than seven decades in the material handling industry and highlighting its continued focus on electric and autonomous equipment.

Founded in 1951 by the Kiefus and Levine families in Chicago, the company introduced its first product, the In Between Handling (IBH) manual straddle stacker. According to Big Joe, the IBH remains in production today and is manufactured at the company's Wisconsin facility.

Over the years, the company has expanded its product lineup from manual warehouse equipment to powered pallet trucks, stackers, lithium-ion forklifts and autonomous material handling solutions. Big Joe also noted that it introduced the E30 Electric Pallet Truck, which helped establish the ITA Class 3.1 category.

"Reaching 75 years is an incredible milestone, but what excites us most is the opportunity ahead," said Dan Rosskamm, president & CEO of Big Joe Forklifts. "Our history has been defined by challenging conventions and finding better ways to solve customer problems. As warehouses and supply chains continue to evolve, Big Joe is uniquely positioned to lead the electrification movement, providing purpose-built, integrated lithium solutions as a direct replacement for propane and diesel powered forklifts. We are also emerging as a disrupter in the autonomous space, offering approachable solutions that simply work. The foundation built over the last 75 years is our launch pad for the next 75."

The company is headquartered in DeForest, Wisconsin, and serves customers across North America through a dealer network. Since becoming part of the EP Equipment family in 2009, Big Joe said it has expanded its investments in lithium-ion battery manufacturing, electrification and automation technologies.

"As we celebrate 75 years of Big Joe, we're honoring the people, partnerships and innovations that have defined our journey," said Martin Boyd, chief marketing officer of Big Joe Forklifts. "From the introduction of the original IBH stacker to our leadership in lithium-powered equipment and autonomous solutions, Big Joe has always focused on empowering the people who move things. Our anniversary is not just a celebration of where we've been - it's a statement about where we're headed as we continue helping customers move confidently into the future of material handling."

The company plans to recognize its anniversary throughout 2026 with events, employee initiatives and content highlighting its history, dealer network and customers.