What Johnston Equipment does

Johnston Equipment (legal name G.N. Johnston Equipment Co. Ltd.), founded in 1954 and headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, is Canada's largest integrated material handling solutions provider, operating 23 branch locations nationwide with approximately 1,200-1,300 employees including 600+ field technicians and 140+ sales professionals. The company is the authorized Raymond Corporation dealer for lift trucks in Canada, with additional dealerships for BT Forklifts, Nilfisk industrial cleaning equipment, BRAVI aerial work platforms, and Motrec industrial electric vehicles. Through its sister division Konstant, Johnston is also Canada's largest racking and shelving company, and GNJ Automation extends the offering into warehouse automation including Radioshuttle high-density storage and picking automation.

Revenue is generated across seven streams: forklift and equipment sales (Raymond, BT, used); short- and long-term equipment rentals; multi-make fleet service and maintenance contracts; storage solutions and racking; internal equipment financing and leasing; operator training and certification; and warehouse automation system integration. The connected-fleet technology stack centers on the iWAREHOUSE telematics platform, which collects real-time fleet and operator data to support electronic checklists and utilization reporting. The Complete Solutions framework (Move, Manage, Store, Protect) packages these capabilities into a single end-to-end intralogistics relationship, backed by in-house engineering (25 designers), nationally accredited training, and Raymond Lean Management methodology. The customer base is broad — industrial and commercial warehousing, food and beverage, grocery and retail — served via direct enterprise field sales, the 23-branch retail/service network, and inside-sales phone channels. Johnston is privately held under President & CEO Michael Marcotte with no institutional or PE ownership disclosed in the source data.

Name

Johnston Equipment

Legal name

G.N. Johnston Equipment Co. Ltd.

Website

https://johnstonequipment.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Johnston Equipment is Canada's largest integrated material handling solutions provider, operating 23 branches nationwide and serving industrial, commercial, food and beverage, and grocery customers with Raymond forklifts, warehousing automation, racking, service, financing, and operator training.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Material Handling Equipment

NAICS

Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing (333310)

SIC

Industrial Trucks, Tractors, Trailors & Stackers (3537), Wholesale-Industrial Machinery & Equipment (5084), Services-Miscellaneous Equipment Rental & Leasing (7350)

akta.pro primary industry

Material Handling Equipment Rental/Leasing (Forklifts, Telehandlers, Reach Trucks) (TLABAFAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Lifting Attachments & Material Handling Accessories (Fork Attachments, Slings, Rigging) (IMAHABAJ)

Keywords

• Material handling equipment
• Forklift sales service
• Warehouse automation solutions
• Forklift fleet management
• Industrial storage racking

Headquarters

HQ city

Mississauga

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Forklift and Equipment Sales: New and used forklift sales including Raymond lift trucks, BT forklifts, and industrial vehicles. Revenue from direct equipment sales to commercial and industrial customers.
2. Equipment Rental: Rental-Ready trucks for peak seasons, short-term and long-term rental programs. Flexible rental solutions for seasonal or temporary needs.
3. Service and Maintenance: Complete fleet service, fixed-price maintenance, and ideal maintenance programs. Service for all fleet makes and models. Parts sales and battery maintenance services.
4. Storage Solutions and Racking: Racking, shelving, and storage systems design, installation, and sales. Used racking buybacks and advanced carousel and shuttle systems. Canada's largest racking and shelving company.
5. Equipment Financing and Leasing: Internal leasing programs and financing solutions. Creative financial programs that competitors cannot match. Cost-effective financing integrated with equipment packages.
6. Training Services: Operator training, online training, and nationally accredited certification programs. Training for forklift operators, fall protection, aerial work platform, and pedestrian safety.
7. Warehouse Automation: System integration, automation solutions including Radioshuttle and picking automation. Turnkey automation projects for warehouses.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Johnston Equipment sells, rents, leases, services, and finances material handling equipment and warehouse intralogistics solutions across Canada as an authorized Raymond Corporation and BT Forklifts dealer. Its Complete Solutions framework delivers equipment (new, used, rental), service (maintenance, parts, batteries), storage (racking, shelving, automation via Konstant and GNJ Automation), financing, telematics (iWAREHOUSE), and operator training to industrial and commercial customers. The company pairs a national 23-branch network with over 600 technicians to provide single-source material handling and warehouse operations support.

Product overview

Johnston Equipment operates as a comprehensive intralogistics partner offering an integrated material handling solutions portfolio built around four pillars: Move, Manage, Store, and Protect. The core product offering centers on Raymond Forklifts (including BT Forklifts) as the primary lift truck brand, complemented by allied products including Motrec industrial electric vehicles, Nilfisk cleaning equipment, and BRAVI aerial work platforms. The company provides a full range of supporting services including equipment financing, forklift rentals, batteries and power solutions, and an extensive service network of over 600 technicians across Canada. Warehouse automation capabilities include Radioshuttle™ high-density storage systems and picking automation solutions. Storage solutions are delivered through the Konstant division, making Johnston Canada's largest racking and shelving company with in-house design and installation expertise. Telematics is powered by the iWAREHOUSE® fleet management platform providing real-time data for operational insights. Training services include nationally accredited operator certification programs. The Complete Solutions™ framework integrates all these offerings into a unified end-to-end approach for moving, managing, storing, and protecting goods across warehouse operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Complete Solutions™: End-to-end framework spanning four pillars of solution and service offerings: Move, Manage, Store, and Protect.
• Global Solutions™ (Solutions globales™)
• iWAREHOUSE®
• Ideal Maintenance
• Raymond Lean Management (RLM)

Products and services

• Raymond Forklifts / Raymond Lift Trucks Primary forklift brand sold and serviced by Johnston Equipment, representing the main product line including various lift truck models for material handling operations across warehouses, distribution centers, and manufacturing facilities in Canada.
• BT Forklifts BT brand lift trucks offered as part of the complete forklift portfolio, providing additional material handling equipment options for commercial and industrial customers.
• Used Forklifts Pre-owned and renewed forklift equipment available for purchase, offering cost-effective options for businesses with lower usage needs or budget constraints.
• Forklift Rentals Short-term and long-term forklift rental programs including Rental-Ready trucks for peak seasons, providing fleet flexibility for evolving business needs.
• Equipment Financing and Leasing Comprehensive internal financing and leasing programs that help manage cash flow by aligning revenues and expenses, including creative financial solutions that competitors cannot match.
• Forklift Batteries and Power Solutions Full range of motive and automotive batteries including Battery Maintenance Program, Proactive Battery Replacement system, battery accessories, and recycling services for forklift fleets.
• Extended Warranty Extended warranty programs that double powertrain protection from standard 3,000 hours to up to 6,000 hours when adding scheduled maintenance to new truck purchases.
• Nilfisk Industrial Cleaning Equipment Industrial cleaning equipment from Nilfisk brand, sold and serviced as part of the allied products portfolio for warehouse and facility maintenance.
• BRAVI Aerial Work Platforms Aerial work platform equipment from BRAVI, providing elevated work access solutions for industrial applications.
• Motrec Industrial Electric Vehicles Industrial electric vehicles from Motrec brand, offering electric-powered transport solutions for warehouse and facility operations.
• Warehouse Automation Services Comprehensive warehouse automation services including system integration, automation consulting, and implementation support for modernizing warehouse operations.
• Radioshuttle™ Automated Storage and Retrieval System Automated storage and retrieval system using radio-controlled shuttle technology for high-density warehouse storage solutions.
• Picking Automation Automated picking solutions for warehouse operations, enabling efficient order fulfillment and goods selection processes.
• Storage Solutions / Racking Systems Complete storage solutions including racking, shelving, platforms, and custom industrial storage systems delivered via sister division Konstant, Canada's largest racking and shelving company with in-house experts managing design to installation.
• Forklift Service and Maintenance Canada's largest service force with over 600 technicians offering Complete Fleet Service, Fixed-Price Maintenance, and Ideal Maintenance programs for all fleet makes and models.
• Forklift Parts Supply Parts supply service stocking tens of thousands of SKUs of parts across the country for forklift maintenance and repairs.
• iWAREHOUSE Telematics Platform Fleet management system that collects and communicates real-time data to improve vehicle and operator productivity, enhance operational safety, and provides electronic operator checklist compliance tracking via customizable checklist forms.
• Operator Training and Certification Nationally accredited operator training programs covering forklift driver training, aerial work platform training, pedestrian safety, and fall protection training, both online and in-person.
• Rack It Right Rack Inspections Professional rack inspection services to identify damage or conditions affecting load capacity or structural performance of storage racking systems.
• Docks and Doors Sales and Service Sales and service for warehouse docks and doors, complementing the material handling equipment portfolio.
• GNJ Automation Solutions Automated solutions business providing warehouse automation integration and implementation services as a sister entity of Johnston Equipment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Powertrain protection can be doubled from 3,000 to 6,000 hours with scheduled maintenance
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Raymond CorporationflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized Raymond dealer for lift trucks and material handling equipment in Canada. Primary brand partnership providing access to Raymond's industry-leading forklift products, automation solutions (Radioshuttle, picking automation), and telematics (iWAREHOUSE). Full integration with Raymond Corporation's network enhances capability and manufacturer support.
• BT ForkliftscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized dealer for BT Forklifts, expanding product portfolio beyond Raymond offerings to provide comprehensive material handling equipment solutions.
• NilfiskcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndustrial cleaning equipment sales and service, complementing material handling solutions with facility cleaning equipment.
• Bravi PlatformscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAerial work platform sales and service, extending safety and elevation solutions beyond forklifts.
• MotreccoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndustrial electric vehicle sales and service, providing electric vehicles for material transport within facilities.
• KonstantflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company and Canada's largest racking and shelving manufacturer/distributor. Partnership provides design, engineering, project management, and installation for storage solutions. Deep integration enables comprehensive intralogistics offerings from a single source.
• GNJ AutomationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAutomated solutions partner referenced on homepage. Provides warehouse automation integration and system implementation services.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/johnstonequip

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Johnston Equipment