National Lift Truck, Inc.

What National Lift Truck, Inc. does

National Lift Truck, Inc. is a third-generation, family-owned material handling equipment dealer founded in 1956 and headquartered at 3333 Mt Prospect Rd, Franklin Park, Illinois. The company operates through seven physical locations across Illinois (Franklin Park – HQ), Tennessee (Memphis and Jackson), Arkansas (Little Rock and Springdale), and New York (Middletown), employing 225+ team members that include 50+ field service technicians covering 20+ states. Legal entities include National Lift Truck, Inc. (Illinois), National Lift, LLC (Tennessee), and National Lift of Arkansas, alongside the operating sub-brands National Battery (industrial battery and charger sales/service) and National Specialized Hauling (over-dimensional transport).

The company's core product portfolio spans forklifts (including heavy-duty cushion-tire and pneumatic-tire models up to 140,000 lb capacity from Versa-Lift and Toyota), aerial work platforms (boom lifts, scissor lifts, manlifts from JLG, Genie, Skyjack, and Niftylift), telehandlers (JLG, JCB, Skyjack, Skytrak, Genie, Sellick), carry deck cranes, industrial batteries and chargers, and forklift attachments. The supporting service stack comprises equipment rental (fleet of 2,500+ units with 1,000+ actively rented on daily/weekly/monthly terms), new and used equipment sales (dealer partnerships with 18+ OEMs including Clark, Unicarriers, JLG, Versa-Lift, Toyota, Genie, Skyjack, JCB, Sany, Hangcha, Hyundai, Broderson, Hy-Brid Lifts, Enersys/NexSys, Niftylift, Tennant, and Sellick), replacement parts, field service and repair, OSHA-compliant operator training (3-year certification), specialized over-dimensional hauling, industrial storage/3PL, battery maintenance, and warehouse racking and safety technology.

Revenue mechanics combine usage-based rental streams with one-time equipment sales, transaction-fee parts revenue, and professional-service fees (training, hauling, storage). Go-to-market is direct: phone-led sales via an 888 number, website-driven quote requests, enterprise territory management, and on-site consultations. Primary verticals are industrial/manufacturing and construction, with secondary segments in lumber/building materials, warehousing/distribution, and equipment rental companies. Pricing is uniformly quote-based with no published list, and the business is privately held with no disclosed funding rounds, acquisitions, or public reporting.

Name

National Lift Truck, Inc.

Legal name

National Lift Truck, Inc.

Website

https://nlt.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

National Lift Truck is a family-owned material handling equipment dealer founded in 1956, operating across 7 U.S. locations. The company rents, sells, and services forklifts, aerial lifts, telehandlers, and related equipment for industrial, construction, and warehousing customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Material Handling Equipment Rental & Sales

NAICS

Industrial Truck, Tractor, Trailer, and Stacker Machinery Manufacturing (333924), Construction, Transportation, Mining, and Forestry Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing (53241), Construction, Mining, and Forestry Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing (532412)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Cranes & Heavy Lifting Equipment Rental/Leasing (TLABAFAD), Material Handling & Industrial Lift Vehicle Manufacturing (Forklifts/Telehandlers/Reach Stackers) (IMACAFAD)

Keywords

• Forklift rentals
• Material handling equipment
• Aerial work platforms
• Telehandler sales
• OSHA operator training

Headquarters

HQ city

Franklin Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Equipment Rental: Short-term and long-term rental of forklifts, aerial lifts, telehandlers, and material handling equipment. With over 2,500 forklifts and aerial work platforms in fleet and more than 1,000 pieces actively rented, this is a core revenue stream. Rental periods available daily, weekly, or monthly.
2. New Equipment Sales: Sales of new forklifts, aerial work platforms, telehandlers, carry deck cranes, and industrial batteries/chargers through dealer partnerships with manufacturers including Clark, Unicarriers, JLG, Versa Lift, and others.
3. Used Equipment Sales: Sales of expertly maintained pre-owned equipment including late-model rental retirement forklifts and aerial lifts. Service contracts offered with used equipment purchases.
4. Parts Sales: Sales of OEM and quality aftermarket replacement parts for forklifts, aerial lifts, and industrial equipment. Same-day parts pickup and 24-48 hour shipping available.
5. Equipment Service & Repair: Preventative maintenance, annual inspections, and equipment repair services. Both field service and in-shop repairs available. 50+ field technicians on call in over 20 states.
6. Operator Training: OSHA-compliant certification programs for forklift operators, MEWP/AWP operators, and telehandler operators. Train-the-trainer courses also available. Certification valid for three years.
7. Specialized Hauling: Over-dimensional equipment delivery and local trucking services through National Specialized Hauling team with 25+ tractor trailers and professional drivers.
8. Industrial Storage & 3PL: Secure indoor and outdoor storage solutions for large industrial machinery and equipment. Short-term and long-term options with logistics, transportation, and storage handling.
9. Warehouse Solutions: Warehouse racking repair and installation, warehouse safety technology, and material handling supplies. Includes warehouse planning services and product catalog.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

National Lift Truck, Inc. is a family-owned dealer and rental provider of material handling equipment, offering forklifts (including heavy-capacity models up to 140,000 lbs), aerial work platforms, telehandlers, and carry deck cranes through 7 locations across Illinois, Tennessee, Arkansas, and New York. The company supports its equipment portfolio with a full suite of services including preventative maintenance and repair, OEM/aftermarket parts, OSHA-compliant operator training, specialized over-dimensional hauling, industrial battery sales and service, and warehouse racking solutions. It operates a rental fleet of over 2,500 units and acts as an authorized dealer for manufacturers including Clark, Unicarriers, JLG, Toyota, Versa-Lift, Genie, Skyjack, JCB, Sany, Hangcha, Hyundai, Broderson, and Enersys.

Product overview

National Lift Truck, Inc. is a family-owned material handling equipment company (since 1956) operating as a single unified platform offering equipment rentals, new equipment sales, and used equipment sales, supported by a comprehensive suite of services including equipment service/repair, replacement parts, OSHA-certified operator training, specialized hauling, industrial storage, battery sales/service, and warehouse solutions. The core product portfolio centers on forklifts (including heavy-duty high-capacity models up to 140,000 lbs), aerial work platforms (boom lifts and scissor lifts), telehandlers, and personnel lifts. The company serves industrial, commercial, and construction businesses through 7 locations in Illinois, Tennessee, Arkansas, and New York, with a fleet of over 2,500 rental units and partnerships with equipment manufacturers including Clark, Unicarriers, JLG, Versa Lift, Toyota, Genie, Skyjack, JCB, and others.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Forklift & Material Handling Equipment Rentals Rental fleet of over 2,500 forklifts and material handling equipment available for short-term or long-term rental on daily, weekly, or monthly terms. Includes cushion tire forklifts, pneumatic tire forklifts, electric forklifts, rough terrain forklifts, standup forklifts, and heavy-duty high-capacity lift trucks. Targeted at industrial, manufacturing, construction, and warehouse operators.
• New Equipment Sales Full-service dealer offering new material handling equipment and aerial lifts from manufacturers including Clark, Unicarriers, JLG, Versa Lift, Genie, Skyjack, JCB, Hangcha, Sany, Sellick, Hy-Brid Lift, Broderson, and Enersys. Customers include industrial, commercial, and construction businesses.
• Used Equipment Sales Pre-owned forklifts, aerial lifts, and telehandlers that are expertly maintained by experienced mechanics, available for purchase with optional service contracts. Targeted at cost-sensitive buyers across the same industrial and construction segments.
• Equipment Service & Repair Field and shop technicians providing preventative maintenance, annual inspections, and equipment repair services for forklifts, aerial lifts, and other industrial equipment. 50+ field technicians on call across over 20 states, with 24/7 support during rental periods.
• Replacement Parts Parts department sourcing and stocking OEM and quality aftermarket replacement parts for forklifts, aerial lifts, and other industrial equipment. Same-day pickup or 24-48 hour shipping available.
• OSHA-Certified Operator Training OSHA-compliant forklift operator training, MEWP training, and telehandler training programs offered at company facilities in Illinois, Tennessee, and Arkansas, or on-site at customer locations, with certification valid for three years. Train-the-trainer courses are also available.
• Specialized Hauling National Specialized Hauling team providing over-dimensional hauling and trucking services with 25+ tractor trailers and professional drivers for equipment delivery to customer job sites.
• Industrial Storage & Logistics Secure indoor and outdoor storage facilities in the Chicago area and other key locations for large industrial machinery and equipment, handling all logistics, transportation, and storage needs with short-term and long-term options.
• Battery Sales & Service (National Battery) Industrial battery and charger sales and service under the National Battery brand, including lead acid and UL-rated lithium-ion batteries, battery maintenance, cleaning, and fleet evaluations.
• Warehouse Racking & Safety Technology Warehouse planning solutions including rack repair, installation, warehouse safety technology, and material handling supplies for distribution centers and industrial facilities.
• Aerial Work Platforms Rental and sales of boom lifts (articulating and telescopic), scissor lifts (electric and rough terrain), and personnel lifts/manlifts from brands including JLG, Genie, Skyjack, and Niftylift, targeted at construction and facility maintenance customers.
• Telehandlers Rough terrain telehandler rentals and sales with capacities ranging from 5,500 lbs to 10,000 lbs, featuring brands such as JLG, JCB, Skyjack, Skytrak, Genie, and Sellick for construction and material handling customers.
• Online Parts Catalog Online catalog system for browsing and ordering parts and equipment, accessible at https://nlt.theonlinecatalog.com/.
• High Capacity Forklifts Heavy-duty cushion tire forklifts with capacities from 20,000 lbs to 140,000 lbs, including Versa-Lift and Toyota high-capacity models with adjustable wheelbase and extendable counterweights for heavy industrial applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70+ years of continuous operation as a family-owned business
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• ClarkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorClark is a leading forklift manufacturer. National Lift Truck operates as a dealer partner offering new Clark forklifts for sale, providing sales, rental, parts, and service support for Clark equipment in their market territories.
• UnicarrierscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUnicarriers is a forklift manufacturer. National Lift Truck serves as a dealer partner for Unicarriers forklifts, offering sales, rental, and service for their equipment product line.
• JLGcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJLG is a major manufacturer of aerial work platforms including boom lifts and scissor lifts. National Lift Truck offers JLG equipment for sale and rent along with full service and parts support.
• Toyota (Material Handling Heavy Duty)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorToyota produces high-capacity forklifts with adjustable wheelbase technology. National Lift Truck offers Toyota high-capacity forklifts including THDA25-35 and THDA40-60 models for sale and rental.
• Versa LiftcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVersa Lift manufactures high-capacity cushion tire forklifts with extendable counterweights. National Lift Truck offers Versa-Lift models including 25/35, 40/60, and 100/140 for rent and sale.
• GeniecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGenie is a manufacturer of aerial work platforms including telehandlers, boom lifts, and material lifts. National Lift Truck provides rental and sales for Genie products.
• SkyjackcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSkyjack manufactures aerial work platforms and telehandlers. National Lift Truck offers Skyjack scissor lifts, boom lifts, and telehandlers for rent and sale.
• JCBcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJCB produces telehandlers and rough terrain forklifts. National Lift Truck provides JCB telehandlers and rough terrain equipment for rental and sale.
• SkytrakcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSkytrak manufactures telehandlers for material handling applications. National Lift Truck offers Skytrak telehandlers for rent and sale.
• SanymajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSany is a manufacturer of heavy-duty pneumatic tire forklifts. National Lift Truck offers Sany equipment including 35,000 lb capacity forklifts for rent.
• SellickcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSellick manufactures rough terrain forklifts and telehandlers. National Lift Truck provides Sellick equipment including straight mast and telehandler models for rental.
• HangchamajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHangcha produces forklifts and material handling equipment. National Lift Truck offers Hangcha pneumatic tire forklifts for rent.
• HyundaimajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHyundai manufactures heavy-duty forklifts including pneumatic tire models. National Lift Truck offers Hyundai forklifts including 24,000 lb and 40,000 lb capacity models for rent.
• Hy-Brid LiftsmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHy-Brid Lifts (AXCS) produces compact scissor lifts. National Lift Truck offers Hy-Brid compact scissor lifts including PS-1430 and ZT-1630 models for rent.
• BrodersonmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBroderson manufactures carry deck cranes. National Lift Truck offers Broderson carry deck cranes for sale.
• Enersys/NexSysmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEnersys/NexSys produces industrial batteries and charging systems. National Lift Truck offers Enersys batteries and chargers for forklifts and material handling equipment.
• NiftyliftmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNiftylift manufactures articulating boom lifts. National Lift Truck offers Niftylift boom lifts including 50' electric articulating models for rent.
• TennantminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTennant produces industrial floor scrubbers and sweepers. National Lift Truck offers Tennant walk-behind floor scrubbers for rent.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Herc Rentals: National equipment rental provider with significant aerial and material handling exposure following its H&E Equipment Services acquisition. Competes with NLT on aerial work platforms and forklifts across overlapping geographies.
• Sunbelt Rentals: Largest aerial work platform and forklift rental company in North America with a fleet many multiples the size of NLT's. Direct overlap in scissor lifts, boom lifts, telehandlers, and material handling rentals at a national scale.
• United Rentals: Largest equipment rental company in the world, with a broad aerial, material handling, and industrial fleet. Comparable rental-product overlap (forklifts, aerial platforms, telehandlers) but operates at vastly greater scale and geographic reach.
• Caterpillar (CAT Rental): Global heavy equipment OEM and dealer network with a major equipment rental business. Overlaps with NLT on heavy-duty forklifts, telehandlers, and construction material handling equipment at a vastly larger scale.

Direct peers

• MH Equipment: Midwest-based material handling equipment dealer offering forklifts, aerial lifts, parts, service, and training across multiple states. Closely comparable to NLT as a multi-OEM dealer with similar product breadth and customer verticals.
• Papé Group: Family-owned heavy equipment dealer and rental company based in the western US, serving construction, material handling, and forestry markets. Comparable multi-generational, multi-OEM dealer-renter business model, though in different geographies.
• Atlas Companies: Heavy equipment dealer and rental provider across multiple US regions, offering material handling, construction, and aerial equipment. Comparable multi-OEM, multi-vertical dealer-rental model with similar geographic and product breadth.
• Yancey Bros. Co. Family-owned Caterpillar dealer with material handling and aerial equipment rental operations in the Southeast US. Comparable as a multi-generational dealer-renter with overlapping verticals (construction, industrial) and overlapping Southeast geography.

Others

• Toyota Material Handling Systems: OEM of forklifts and material handling equipment; NLT is one of its dealer partners. Comparable as a brand channel for high-capacity and electric forklifts, though Toyota operates through its dealer network rather than direct rental at NLT's scale.
• Crown Equipment Corporation: Manufacturer of forklifts and material handling equipment with a direct dealer network. Comparable product overlap (electric forklifts, narrow-aisle, reach trucks) and competes with NLT at the equipment-procurement layer for end customers.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nationallifttrk
• Facebookfacebook.com/national-lift-truck-inc-112233465476452
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-lift-truck-inc-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 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 National Lift Truck, Inc.