MH Equipment

What MH Equipment does

MH Equipment is a privately held, full-service material handling equipment dealer founded in 1952 as a single Hyster dealership in Peoria, Illinois, and now operating 30+ service locations across 10 upper-Midwest and Eastern US states with more than 1,100 employees, including 600+ certified service technicians. The company sells, rents, services, and trains on forklifts, aerial lifts, railcar movers, industrial cleaning equipment, and personnel carriers from a broad OEM portfolio that includes Hyster, Yale, Genie, JLG, Skyjack, Combilift, Motrec, Mariotti, Bendi, Drexel, Kalmar-Ottawa, and Polaris, alongside autonomous product lines from OTTO Motors (autonomous mobile robots including the OTTO 100, 600, 1200, 1500, and Lifter models) and Kärcher (KIRA B 50 and B 200 autonomous floor scrubbers). Its technology stack centers on an AMR fleet management suite that orchestrates hundreds of autonomous units via telemetry and wireless mesh networking, complemented by a Warehouse Innovation Center in Earth City, MO that demonstrates automation, safety, and smart fleet management solutions to customers.

MH Equipment operates a hybrid revenue model combining one-time equipment sales (new and used), recurring short- and long-term rental subscriptions, recurring service and maintenance contracts, professional services including engineered warehouse design and project management, and a fleet management software subscription layer. The company has expanded into adjacent verticals through the November 2023 acquisitions of Armor Equipment (a $20M+ refuse and municipal equipment dealer in Missouri and Kansas) and Mid-Iowa Solid Waste Co., giving it government/municipal exposure in addition to its core horizontal customer segments in logistics, warehousing, manufacturing, construction, and food processing. Go-to-market is sales-led and field-based, with 30+ physical dealership points-of-presence, direct enterprise field sales targeting large warehouse and logistics operators, and supporting digital channels including a content blog, YouTube video library, and email marketing.

The company's strategic positioning combines the scale advantages of a large multi-location regional dealer with the technology integration capability of a warehouse automation solutions provider. Exclusive Hyster and Yale dealership rights, consecutive Dealer of Distinction and Dealer of Excellence awards from those OEMs (2023-2025), and MHEDA MVP Industry Awards (2025-2026) anchor its reputation, while the OTTO Motors and Kärcher partnerships and the Innovation Center facility position it to capture the warehouse automation upgrade cycle. The company remains owner-operated under John Wieland, with Coit Edison serving as CEO.

Name

MH Equipment

Legal name

MH Equipment

Website

https://mhequipment.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1952

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

MH Equipment is a privately held material handling equipment dealer operating 30+ locations across 10 US states with 1,100+ employees, selling, renting, and servicing forklifts, aerial lifts, AMRs, and autonomous cleaning equipment from brands like Hyster, Yale, OTTO Motors, and Kärcher for logistics, manufacturing, construction, and municipal customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Material Handling Equipment Dealer

NAICS

Industrial Truck, Tractor, Trailer, and Stacker Machinery Manufacturing (333924), Construction Machinery Manufacturing (333120)

SIC

Industrial Trucks, Tractors, Trailors & Stackers (3537), Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530)

akta.pro primary industry

Material Handling Equipment MRO (Forklifts, Reach Trucks, Pallet Jacks) (TLAKAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Aerial Work Platforms (MEWPs) Rental/Leasing (TLABAFAE)

Keywords

• Material handling equipment
• Forklift sales service
• Warehouse automation solutions
• Aerial lift equipment
• Fleet management services

Headquarters

HQ city

Erie

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Equipment Sales: New and used material handling equipment sales including forklifts, aerial lifts, railcar movers, and specialty equipment from multiple manufacturers
2. Equipment Rentals: Short-term and long-term rental programs for forklifts, aerial lifts, and other material handling equipment
3. Service and Maintenance: Routine maintenance, emergency repairs, parts supply, and 24/7 service support through 500+ service technicians
4. Training and Certification: Forklift operator training, safety courses, and Train the Trainer programs for workplace certification compliance
5. Engineered Solutions: Warehouse design, project management, installation, custom pallet racking, mezzanines, and conveyor systems
6. Fleet Management: Software and consulting services for fleet optimization and cost reduction

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

MH Equipment is a full-service material handling equipment dealer that sells, rents, and services forklifts, aerial lifts, railcar movers, industrial vehicles, autonomous mobile robots, and autonomous floor scrubbers from manufacturers such as Hyster, Yale, Combilift, Genie, JLG, Skyjack, Kärcher, and OTTO Motors. The company also delivers recurring maintenance, parts, fleet management software, operator training and certification, and engineered warehouse design and automation installation services to logistics, manufacturing, construction, and government customers across 10 U.S. states.

Product overview

MH Equipment is a full-service material handling equipment dealer offering a comprehensive portfolio of products and services across the equipment lifecycle. The core offering consists of new and used equipment sales, rentals, parts, maintenance, and fleet management software for brands including Hyster, Yale, Genie, JLG, Skyjack, Combilift, Kärcher, and OTTO Motors. Services include forklift training and certification, warehouse design, and a Warehouse Innovation Center in Earth City, MO that showcases automation technologies. Notable technology products include Kärcher KIRA autonomous floor scrubbers (B 50 and B 200 models) and OTTO Motors Autonomous Mobile Robots (OTTO 100 through OTTO Lifter models) with associated fleet management software. The company serves customers across 10 upper Midwest and Eastern states from 30+ locations with over 1,100 employees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• New Equipment Sales
• Used Equipment Sales
• Equipment Rental Programs
• Parts and Accessories
• Maintenance and Repair Services
• Fleet Management
• Forklift Operator Training and Certification
• Warehouse Design Services
• Warehouse Innovation Center
• Project Management and Installation Services
• OTTO Motors Autonomous Mobile Robots
• Kärcher KIRA Autonomous Floor Scrubbers

Quantifiable outcome

• Fleet management reduces operational costs through maintenance planning and redundancy identification
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Armor EquipmentcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 November 2023Acquired Missouri-based dealer of refuse and municipal equipment serving Missouri, Kansas, and Illinois. Armor Equipment operates as subsidiary with locations in Arnold, MO and Olathe, KS, maintaining $20M+ annual sales. Staff retained and operations continue under MH Equipment umbrella.
• BCC AdvisersminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 November 2023Investment banking and advisory firm that advised MH Equipment on the Armor Equipment acquisition transaction.
• OTTO MotorscoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). MH Equipment distributes OTTO Motors AMR lineup including OTTO 100, OTTO 600, OTTO 1200, OTTO 1500, and OTTO Lifter models for warehouse automation applications.
• KärchercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive distributor of Kärcher KIRA autonomous floor scrubbers (B 50 and B 200 models) and industrial cleaning equipment. Provides automated cleaning solutions for warehouses and industrial facilities.
• HystercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive dealer for Hyster forklifts and material handling equipment. MH Equipment holds Dealer of Distinction recognition from Hyster for sales and service excellence.
• YalecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive dealer for Yale forklifts and lift truck technologies. MH Equipment holds Dealer of Excellence recognition for outstanding performance.
• GeniecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDealer for Genie aerial lifts including scissor lifts, boom lifts, telehandlers, and aerial work platforms for rental and sales.
• CombiliftcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDealer for Combilift material handling equipment products.
• MotreccoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDealer for Motrec industrial vehicles and personnel carriers.
• SkyjackcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDealer for Skyjack aerial lifts and equipment for rental and sales programs.
• JLGcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDealer for JLG aerial lift equipment including boom lifts and telehandlers.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Toyota Material Handling: Largest material handling equipment OEM in North America operating a 200+ location dealer network with the same full-service sales, rental, service, and parts model that MH Equipment runs for Hyster and Yale; serves the same industrial and logistics customers.
• Equipment Depot: Independent multi-brand material handling equipment dealer with 40+ locations across the Midwest, South, and West; offers forklifts, aerial lifts, rentals, parts, service, and operator training that directly overlap MH Equipment's full-service dealer offering.
• LiftOne: Independent Linde Material Handling dealer operating in the Southeast US with full-service material handling equipment sales, rentals, service, fleet management, and warehouse automation offerings that mirror MH Equipment's Hyster/Yale dealership model.
• Sunbelt Rentals: One of the largest equipment rental companies in North America with a dedicated material handling fleet (forklifts, aerial lifts) plus parts and service; competes head-to-head with MH Equipment's rental and service business across overlapping geographies.
• Raymond Corporation: Toyota-owned lift truck OEM with a North American dealer-and-direct network offering trucks, telematics, warehouse automation, and integrated solutions; runs the same product-plus-services franchise model that MH Equipment operates for Hyster and Yale.

Broad incumbents

• Crown Equipment Corporation: Major US forklift and lift truck OEM with an extensive direct and dealer sales/service network offering new equipment, rentals, fleet management, and parts across all of MH Equipment's served geographies.
• United Rentals: Largest equipment rental company in the world with a material handling and aerial fleet plus new/used sales; competes with MH Equipment on rental rates, service breadth, and enterprise account coverage even though forklifts are a smaller portion of its portfolio.
• Linde Material Handling: KION-owned global lift truck brand whose North American dealer footprint is operated by independent partners (e.g., LiftOne); competes directly with MH Equipment's Hyster/Yale product lines in counterbalanced forklifts and warehouse trucks.
• Clark Material Handling Company: Long-established lift truck OEM with an authorized independent dealer network across the US selling forklifts and providing aftermarket service; competes with MH Equipment in similar industrial and warehousing end markets.

Emerging players

• Dematic: KION-owned warehouse automation integrator combining conveyors, AS/RS, AMR, and software; represents the integrated automation offering whose growth could pull customer spend away from traditional equipment dealers like MH Equipment, but also a possible technology partner for MH Equipment's engineered solutions group.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/MHEquipment
• Facebookfacebook.com/MHEquipment
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mh-equipment-company
• Xx.com/mhequipment

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about MH Equipment