Big Joe Lift Trucks

What Big Joe Lift Trucks does

Big Joe Forklifts, operating through Big Lift LLC, is a North American material handling equipment manufacturer and brand portfolio established in 1951 and currently headquartered in a ~120,000 sq ft facility in DeForest, Wisconsin. The company designs, manufactures, and distributes integrated lithium-ion forklifts, pallet jacks, stackers, order pickers, and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) under the Big Joe Forklifts brand, alongside the EP North America brand (formerly ePicker, acquired February 2024). Its core technology differentiator is in-house design and manufacture of both the forklift chassis and the integrated lithium-ion battery pack with proprietary battery management, enabling UL-recognized batteries, onboard chargers, and a connected telemetry layer branded Big Joe Pulse that ships standard on Class I sit-down counterbalance models.

The company monetizes primarily through capital equipment sales and rentals channeled exclusively through a nationwide network of independent dealers, supplemented by direct national-account sales. Recurring revenue mechanics include a 3-year autonomous software and support subscription bundled into the $65,000 Pallet Mover AMR (with renewal optionality) and the January 2026 launch of Big Joe Financial Services, which provides dealer and end-user financing through PNC Vendor Finance, Verdant Commercial Capital, and Mitsubishi HC Capital America. Customer segments span warehousing and distribution (primary), beverage distribution, manufacturing, agriculture, and equipment rental, with named enterprise customers including GEODIS, Andrews Distributing, and Watts Water alongside mid-market accounts such as Legacy Drayage, Plastic Ingenuity, and Team Modern.

Operationally, Big Joe has accelerated platform expansion since 2022: it spun out a dedicated Big Joe Autonomous Solutions division (user-directed AMRs co-developed with Thoro.ai), executed the ePicker acquisition, opened the DeForest headquarters, launched Big Joe Financial Services, and debuted five autonomous SKUs alongside a refreshed lithium-ion forklift lineup (LXE50, LVE35, LPX40, LPE100S, LCE65S, LPX155) plus the Mobile Power Unit charging accessory. The company is the North American subsidiary of China-based EP Equipment and shares engineering, service, and aftermarket infrastructure with the EP North America brand.

Name

Big Joe Lift Trucks

Legal name

Big Lift, LLC

Website

https://bigjoeforklifts.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1951

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Big Joe Forklifts is a North American material handling OEM founded in 1951 that designs and manufactures integrated lithium-ion forklifts, autonomous mobile robots, and warehouse equipment, selling exclusively through a nationwide dealer network to enterprise and mid-market customers in warehousing, beverage distribution, manufacturing, and agriculture.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Material Handling Equipment

NAICS

Industrial Truck, Tractor, Trailer, and Stacker Machinery Manufacturing (333924), Material Handling Equipment Manufacturing (33392)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Forklifts & Industrial Trucks (IC & Electric) (IMAHABAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Material Handling & Industrial Lift Vehicle Manufacturing (Forklifts/Telehandlers/Reach Stackers) (IMACAFAD)

Keywords

• Electric forklifts
• Material handling equipment
• Autonomous mobile robots
• Lithium-ion forklifts
• Warehouse equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Lombard

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Material Handling Equipment Sales: Primary revenue from selling forklifts, pallet jacks, stackers, order pickers, and autonomous solutions through a nationwide dealer network. Products range from walk-behind equipment to Class I sit-down counterbalance forklifts with integrated lithium-ion batteries.
2. Big Joe Financial Services: New financing division launched January 2026 providing equipment financing through partner lenders (PNC Vendor Finance, Verdant Commercial Capital, Mitsubishi HC Capital America) to dealers and end-users purchasing Big Joe equipment.
3. Autonomous Software Subscription: Pallet Mover AMR pricing of $65,000 includes 3-year autonomous software and support subscription. Additional years of software support likely available for renewal.
4. Equipment Rentals: Big Joe offers rental options for forklifts and warehouse equipment through dealers, providing flexible access to equipment without full purchase commitment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Big Joe Lift Trucks designs, manufactures, and distributes a full line of integrated lithium-ion electric forklifts, pallet jacks, stackers, order pickers, and autonomous mobile robots for material handling applications. The company sells and rents its equipment exclusively through an independent North American dealer network that provides localized sales, service, and parts. It also offers equipment financing through Big Joe Financial Services and an asset optimization tool (Big Joe Pulse) for fleet electrification analytics.

Product overview

Big Joe Forklifts is a North American material handling company established in 1951, offering purpose-built integrated lithium-ion forklifts, autonomous solutions, and warehouse equipment through a nationwide dealer network. The portfolio includes: electric forklifts (LXE50 5,000 lb four-wheel cushion, LVE35 3,500 lb three-wheel pneumatic, LPX40 4,000 lb pneumatic tire); autonomous mobile robots (Pallet Mover AMR, AP44 autonomous pallet truck, ASC40 autonomous stacker, ATC100 autonomous tugger, ACV40 autonomous forklift); walkie stackers and order pickers (CB30/CB35, J2-192 Joey); specialized equipment (LPT40 DSD with integrated scale); and supporting services (Big Joe Pulse asset optimization tool, Big Joe Financial Services). The company focuses on industrial electrification and transitioning customers from internal combustion to electric and autonomous solutions, with integrated lithium-ion battery technology as a core differentiator.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Big Joe Autonomous Solutions: Autonomous mobile robot (AMR) division focused on user-directed automation solutions including pallet movers, autonomous stackers, tuggers, and forklifts
• Big Joe Financial Services (BJFS)
• Big Joe Pulse

Products and services

• LXE50 Integrated Lithium-Ion Electric Forklift

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 50% reduction in maintenance costs compared to IC forklifts
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• Andrews DistributingmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 October 2025Collaborated with Andrews Distributing to develop the LPT40 DSD (Direct Store Delivery) pallet truck with integrated scale. The partnership resulted in industry-exclusive technology that reduces beverage delivery times by up to 43%.
• EP EquipmentcoreOthers · 27 February 2024EP Equipment is the parent company of Big Lift LLC, which distributes Big Joe Forklifts and EP North America in North America. Big Lift is the North American subsidiary of EP Equipment, one of the fastest-growing and most innovative material handling equipment companies globally.
• Thoro.aicoreTechnology or Integration · 20 March 2023Technology partnership for developing the Big Joe Pallet Mover autonomous mobile robot (AMR). Thoro provides autonomous driving technology including LiDAR, autonomy software stack, cloud reporting tools, and advanced hardware. The Pallet Mover represents the first commercial autonomous offering from Big Joe.
• Wolter (Wolter Midwest)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor15+ year partnership with Wolter as a trusted dealer partner providing forklifts, storage, and handling systems across Wisconsin, Upper Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky, Ohio and Georgia. Awarded 2025 Partnership Award at Big Joe Dealer Summit. Strong relationship with national account customers including a major electrical company in Wisconsin.
• Shoppa's Material HandlingmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOne of the fastest-growing and most successful material handling dealerships in the US. Identified significant unmet customer need for beverage delivery solutions and collaborated with Big Joe to create the LPT40 DSD product.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Toyota Material Handling: North America's largest forklift OEM, offering electric and IC sit-down counterbalance forklifts, pallet jacks, and warehouse equipment through an extensive dealer network — directly comparable to Big Joe's core product portfolio.
• Hyster-Yale Group: Global forklift OEM (Hyster, Yale, UTILEV brands) selling electric and IC lift trucks through a similar dealer network; multiple Big Joe executives came from Hyster-Yale, underscoring direct overlap.
• Crown Equipment: Privately held US-based forklift and warehouse equipment manufacturer specializing in electric lift trucks and warehouse technology — directly comparable in product mix and dealer-driven go-to-market.
• KION Group (Linde Material Handling): European-based forklift and warehouse automation major (Linde, STILL, Dematic); competing in the same electric forklift and AMR categories as Big Joe. KION North America is a previous employer of Big Joe's VP of Sales.
• Jungheinrich: German intralogistics OEM offering electric forklifts, stackers, and warehouse automation — direct competitor in the Class I-IV electric and warehouse equipment categories where Big Joe competes.
• Mitsubishi Logisnext Americas: North American arm of Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks, offering Cat, Mitsubishi, and UniCarriers branded forklifts, pallet jacks, and automation through dealer channels — direct overlap with Big Joe's product set.
• EP Equipment: China-based parent company of Big Lift LLC and one of the fastest-growing global material handling OEMs; the EP North America brand (formerly ePicker) directly competes with Big Joe on price-positioned Li-ion warehouse equipment.
• Raymond Corporation: US-based Toyota Industries subsidiary specializing in electric forklifts, order pickers, and warehouse automation — directly overlapping with Big Joe's Class I-III electric and Joey order picker portfolio.
• Doosan Industrial Vehicle: Korean-owned global forklift manufacturer offering electric and IC lift trucks through North American dealers — comparable product mix and dealer GTM motion to Big Joe.

Emerging players

• Locus Robotics: Pure-play warehouse AMR vendor competing with Big Joe's autonomous pallet mover in fulfillment and distribution centers; represents a primary competitor in the Big Joe Autonomous Solutions category.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BigJoeForklifts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/big-joe-lift-trucks-inc-
• Instagraminstagram.com/bigjoeforklifts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries2 records

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 Big Joe Lift Trucks