Forklift Training Systems

What Forklift Training Systems does

Forklift Training Systems, Inc. (FTS) is a privately held vocational training and safety products company founded in 1998 and headquartered in Newark, Ohio, operating with a 1-10 employee footprint. The company delivers OSHA-compliant operator training and train-the-trainer programs for forklifts, mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs), and yard trucks through three channels: on-site instruction at customer facilities nationwide, scheduled in-person classes at multiple Ohio training locations, and live instructor-led virtual sessions via Microsoft Teams and Zoom. Its training content franchise is anchored by the SAFE-LIFT 2 Counterbalance Forklift Operator Training Kit (USB and digital download formats, English and Spanish), which succeeded the late-1990s original SAFE-LIFT video that held industry gold-standard status for nearly 20 years.

Beyond training services, FTS operates a direct e-commerce storefront (WooCommerce-based) and a dealer/reseller channel selling proprietary and third-party safety hardware. Proprietary products include the SAFE-LITE, Big Blue, and Dominator forklift blue spot lights; Red Zone and Red Zone Eco danger area warning lights; Forklift Arch Lights; Overhead Crane Warning Light 2.0; the VirtualStripe industrial floor-marking laser; and ECO Spot Virtual Sign Projectors (40W-300W) with optional motion-detector modules. Many products carry UL 583/UL 558 certifications for specific industrial truck classes. The company also resells third-party forklift telematics and monitoring systems (iQ360, GemOne Sapphire, PowerFleet, TotalTrax, Keytroller, Safe-Speed radar) and offers complementary consulting services: telematics solutions, pedestrian warning system design, safety audits, and forklift expert witness work.

FTS generates revenue from four streams with distinct pricing mechanics: per-operator unit pricing for on-site and virtual training ($125-$175 per operator), flat-rate group pricing for train-the-trainer engagements ($2,300-$4,000), unit pricing for hardware products ($65 inspection logs to $1,998 high-wattage projectors with volume discounts), and multi-year corporate web-based licensing for SAFE-LIFT 2 digital delivery. Customer demand is driven by OSHA 1910.178 compliance needs, pedestrian-safety liability reduction, and forklift accident prevention (FTS cites that 40% of forklift accidents involve pedestrians). Distribution runs through direct website sales, an on-site training field force, virtual inside-sales, and a national network of forklift dealer/reseller partners including Forklifts Group Material Handling, Towlift Material Handling Solutions, Eagle Mark 4, Buckeye Forklift, and Mid-Ohio Material Handling.

Name

Forklift Training Systems

Legal name

Forklift Training Systems, Inc.

Website

https://forklifttrainingsystems.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Forklift Training Systems is a Newark, Ohio-based private vocational training and safety products company (founded 1998, 1-10 employees) delivering OSHA-compliant forklift, MEWP, and yard truck operator training alongside proprietary and third-party forklift safety lighting, monitoring, and telematics hardware sold via direct e-commerce and a national dealer/reseller network serving US and Canadian industrial customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Safety Training

NAICS

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

SIC

Industrial Trucks, Tractors, Trailors & Stackers (3537)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Lifting Platforms & Aerial Work Platforms (MEWPs) (IMAHAJAJ)

Keywords

• Forklift operator training
• OSHA compliance training
• Pedestrian warning systems
• Material handling safety
• Train-the-trainer programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Newark

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Operator Training Services: On-site forklift operator training for new operators ($175/person) and re-evaluations ($125/person). Covers all seven classes of powered industrial trucks with site-specific customization.
2. Virtual Operator Training: Remote instructor-led training via Zoom/Microsoft Teams at $100 per operator for 4-hour sessions. Additional add-on modules for specialized equipment at $15 each.
3. Train-the-Trainer Programs: Yard Truck Train-the-Trainer: $4,000 flat rate for up to 8 trainers (2-day on-site). MEWP Train-the-Trainer: $600 each for 1-2 trainers, $2,300 flat rate for up to 10 trainers (2-3 days). Forklift Train-the-Trainer: Custom pricing.
4. Safety Products Sales: E-commerce sales of safety products including lights, warning systems, training materials, and inspection equipment. Products include Red Zone lights ($150), Red Zone Eco ($109), SAFE-LITE ($varies), Arch Lights, training kits, and inspection logs ($65).
5. Training Materials Licensing: SAFE-LIFT 2 training kits sold in USB and digital download formats. Corporate web-based delivery plans available for multi-site companies with annual unlimited use subscriptions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Forklift Training Systems provides OSHA-compliant forklift, mobile elevating work platform (MEWP), and yard truck operator training and train-the-trainer programs, delivered both on-site at customer facilities and live via Zoom/Teams. The company also designs, distributes, and sells proprietary and third-party industrial safety products including forklift blue spot lights, Red Zone danger area warning lights, arch lights, overhead crane warning lights, virtual floor marking lasers, LED gobo sign projectors, forklift telematics/monitoring systems, and training video kits such as the SAFE-LIFT 2 program.

Product overview

Forklift Training Systems is a safety training and products company offering a comprehensive portfolio of training services and safety products for forklift and material handling operations. The training division includes operator certification, train-the-trainer programs, and virtual/in-person courses for forklifts, mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs), and yard trucks. The product division centers on pedestrian warning systems including forklift blue spot lights (SAFE-LITE, Big Blue, Dominator), Red Zone danger area lights, Arch lights, and Overhead Crane Warning lights, complemented by floor marking solutions (VirtualStripe laser, Virtual Sign projectors with motion detection), monitoring/telematics systems (iQ360, GemOne, PowerFleet, TotalTrax, Keytroller, Safe-Speed), and training materials (SAFE-Lift 2 video kits, inspection logs, training guides). All products are designed for industrial warehouse and facility safety applications with OSHA and ANSI compliance alignment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Forklift Operator Training (On-Site) On-site instructor-led operator training for forklifts covering all seven classes of powered industrial trucks, pedestrian safety, OSHA 1910.178 compliance, and site-specific customization using customer equipment. Designed for groups of 6-15 new operators or re-evaluations at industrial customer facilities.
• Virtual Forklift Operator Training Live, instructor-led remote training delivered via Zoom or Microsoft Teams that satisfies the classroom portion of OSHA forklift operator training. Includes real-time Q&A, accident video analysis, and optional $15 add-on modules for Reach Truck, Order Picker, and Pallet Jack.
• Forklift Train-the-Trainer Program Train-the-trainer program qualifying internal forklift trainers with in-person and online classes. Includes 2-day intensive training, small class sizes, pass/fail format, and customizable materials for site-specific equipment.
• MEWP Operator and Train-the-Trainer Training Operator and train-the-trainer instruction for Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (scissor lifts, articulating booms, telescopic booms, trailer-mounted booms), delivered on-site, at FTS Ohio locations, or remotely via Zoom.
• Yard Truck Train-the-Trainer 2-day on-site train-the-trainer class at customer facilities qualifying trainers for yard trucks, terminal tractors, yard spotters, yard goats, and yard jockeys at shipping yards and distribution terminals.
• Yard Truck Operator Training On-site operator training and evaluation for yard trucks and terminal tractors, using the customer's own equipment to deliver site-specific certification.
• SAFE-LITE Forklift Blue Spotlight High-intensity LED blue spotlight that projects a visible blue spot 15-20 feet ahead of a forklift to alert pedestrians at blind corners and crossings. Lifetime warranty, 50,000-hour rated life, IP-67 weatherproof, UL 583/558 approved for multiple industrial truck types.
• Red Zone Danger Area Warning Light LED warning light that projects a red line around the sides and rear of a forklift to create a visible NO GO pedestrian zone. UL rated for regular, EE, and LPS forklifts, lifetime warranty, IP67, 9-64V DC operation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40% of all forklift accidents involve pedestrians - Red Zone lights help prevent pedestrian injuries by creating visible NO GO zones
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Forklifts Group Material Handling (Multiple Locations)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor dealer referral source appearing frequently in customer registration forms. Locations include Bakersfield, Fresno, Las Vegas, Manteca, Sacramento, Santa Maria, Columbus, Toledo, and New York. Primary referral channel for new customer acquisition.
• Towlift Material Handling Solutions (Multiple Locations)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional dealer network with locations in Albuquerque, Denver, El Paso, Cleveland, Columbus, Toledo, Pittsburgh, Mentor, and Salt Lake City. Significant referral source for training and product customers.
• Eagle Mark 4 (Multiple Locations)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDealer referral source with locations in Mansfield, New Mexico, and North Carolina.
• Buckeye ForkliftminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional forklift dealer referral partner.
• Mid-Ohio Forklift / Mid-Ohio Material HandlingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional dealer referral partner in Ohio region.
• Google/Microsoft BingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDigital marketing channels listed in customer referral tracking as 'how did you hear about us' options, indicating paid search/advertising partnerships.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• NASP - National Association of Safety Professionals: Safety training and certification organization offering OSHA-compliant operator and trainer courses across industrial equipment categories. Comparable training audience and regulatory alignment with FTS.
• IVES Training Group: Specialized provider of mobile elevating work platform (MEWP) and aerial lift operator and train-the-trainer programs. Directly comparable to FTS's MEWP and aerial work platform training line in curriculum, audience, and instructor-led delivery.
• Forklift-Safety.com: Independent provider of forklift safety products and operator training content serving industrial fleets. Directly comparable hardware catalog (warning lights, blue spot lights, safety equipment) and training services to FTS.
• ClickSafety: Online safety training platform (part of Ascend Learning) offering OSHA-compliant construction and general industry courses including forklift and aerial lift operator training. Directly comparable in OSHA-aligned operator training but competes via online delivery versus FTS's instructor-led virtual/on-site model.
• CertifyMe: Online forklift operator certification provider offering OSHA-compliant training and wallet cards. Directly comparable core offering to FTS's SAFE-LIFT 2 training kits, with a pure online/lower-cost delivery model that competes on price.
• 360training (OSHA.com): Online regulatory and workforce training provider offering OSHA 10/30, forklift operator certification, and safety courses. Comparable to FTS's regulatory training focus with a primarily online, lower-touch delivery model.
• SafetySkills (Vector Solutions): Online workplace safety training platform serving industrial customers with OSHA-aligned course libraries including material handling topics. Comparable to FTS's virtual/online training delivery for industrial safety compliance.

Others

• Keytroller: Forklift telemetry, access control, and monitoring system manufacturer that FTS resells. Ecosystem/partner rather than direct competitor; the relationship is distribution rather than head-to-head competition.

Broad incumbents

• J.J. Keller & Associates: Large compliance, safety, and regulatory products company serving fleets with DOT/OSHA training content and safety solutions. Directly comparable to FTS in the operator training and safety product space, but at much broader scale and across many verticals beyond forklifts.
• National Safety Council: Established US safety organization offering OSHA-compliant forklift and MEWP operator training, defensive driving, and workplace safety certifications. Comparable training methodologies and regulatory focus, but at significantly greater scale and brand recognition than FTS.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCoShcnIb3QWNO7XLVCQR9sA
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

Compliance10 records

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 Forklift Training Systems