What Cardinal Carryor does

Cardinal Carryor Inc. is a privately held, multi-brand material handling equipment dealer and service provider headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, with additional branches in Indianapolis, Indiana and Bowling Green, Kentucky. Founded in 1947 in Lexington, Kentucky as a refuse collection business, the company entered the forklift industry in 1953 as a Yale dealer, became an authorized Clark dealer around 1957, and has held its authorized Crown Equipment Corporation partnership since 1983. The company sells, rents, leases, services, and provides parts and OSHA-compliant operator training for forklifts (Crown, Clark, Bendi, Drexel, Hoist, Sellick), industrial sweepers and scrubbers (Tennant), electric and gas utility carts (Cushman), automated guided vehicles (Crown AGVs), and battery and charging systems (Hawker, Crown V-Force, BHS). Its customer base spans warehouse and distribution operations, manufacturing facilities, maritime and marina operations, and rough-terrain applications across Southern Indiana and Central Kentucky, with named long-tenure customers including Grote Industries (30+ years) and Konica Minolta (10+ years).

The company operates on a dealer-distributor business model with five revenue streams: equipment sales (one-time unit pricing across multiple OEM brands), rentals and leasing (short-term and long-term, including capital and operating leases), 24/7 service and planned maintenance delivered through a fleet of 50 mobile service vehicles, a parts department stocking over 2,600 SKUs, and OSHA 1910.178-compliant operator training. Go-to-market is primarily enterprise field sales supported by inside sales, with a complementary e-commerce presence through cardinalcarryor.theonlinecatalog.com, shop.crown.com, and an eBay storefront for pre-owned equipment. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Cardinal Carryor operates as a sister company to Cardinal Integrated Systems, which provides complementary warehouse infrastructure solutions including dock levelers, conveyors, cranes, and industrial doors, enabling the combined Cardinal entities to bid on full-facility material handling projects.

The company's technology footprint is OEM-supplied rather than internally developed. Cardinal Carryor integrates and resells Crown InfoLink fleet management telematics for real-time equipment and operator monitoring, distributes Crown V-Force lithium-ion energy storage systems and Hawker FLEX LI3 batteries, and sells Crown Automated Guided Vehicles including the Auto Positioning System and QuickPick Remote order-picking technology. The company employs 101-250 people, holds BBB accreditation, and has been recognized with Clark's MVP Status Award for four consecutive years (2012-2015). Revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Cardinal Carryor

Legal name

Cardinal Carryor Inc.

Website

https://cardinalcarryor.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Cardinal Carryor is a privately held, multi-brand material handling equipment dealer and service provider founded in 1947, selling, renting, leasing, servicing, and training operators on forklifts, sweepers, scrubbers, carts, AGVs, and battery systems from OEMs including Crown, Clark, Bendi, Drexel, Hoist, Sellick, Tennant, Hawker, and Cushman across Southern Indiana and Central Kentucky.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Louisville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Equipment Sales: New and used forklift sales including Crown, Clark, Bendi, Drexel, Hoist, and Sellick brands. Also includes Cushman electric and gas carts, Tennant sweepers and scrubbers, and automated guided vehicles (AGVs).
2. Equipment Rentals and Leasing: Flexible rental arrangements including short-term (daily, weekly, monthly) and long-term options. Capital and operating leasing available for forklifts and warehouse equipment with 24/7 emergency service backup.
3. Equipment Service and Maintenance: 24/7 service with fleet of 50 service vehicles, providing on-demand fleet service, mobile battery cleaning, rebuild and repair, planned maintenance, and Crown Integrity Service for Kentucky and Southern Indiana region.
4. Parts and Accessories: Extensive parts department stocking over 2,600 SKUs including forklift parts, tires, load wheels, new or rebuilt electronic components, custom hoses and cables for Crown, Clark and other leading brands.
5. Training Services: OSHA-compliant forklift operator training, train-the-trainer programs, Crown and Clark training kits, and safety certification programs with documentation as required by OSHA Standard 1910.178.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Cardinal Carryor is a multi-brand authorized dealer and full-service provider of material handling equipment, distributing forklifts (Crown, Clark, Bendi, Drexel, Hoist, Sellick), industrial sweepers and scrubbers (Tennant), utility carts (Cushman), batteries and chargers (Hawker, Crown V-Force), and automated guided vehicles across Southern Indiana and Central Kentucky. The company supplements equipment sales with short- and long-term rentals, capital and operating leasing, 24/7 field service and planned maintenance via 50 service vehicles, a parts department stocking 2,600+ SKUs, OSHA-compliant operator training, and pre-owned/reconditioned equipment.

Product overview

Cardinal Carryor is a material handling equipment dealer and service provider, not a software product company. It operates a multi-brand portfolio of mobile material handling equipment products, organized as a portfolio of brand-named products distributed across categories: forklifts (Crown, Clark, Bendi/Drexel, Hoist, Sellick), industrial sweepers and scrubbers (Tennant), electric and gas utility carts (Cushman), automated guided vehicles (Crown AGVs), and batteries/chargers (Hawker, Crown V-Force, BHS). These products are supplemented by a comprehensive services layer covering equipment service and planned maintenance (50 mobile service vehicles, 24/7), a parts department (2,600+ SKUs), short- and long-term rentals and leasing, OSHA-compliant operator and train-the-trainer programs, and pre-owned/reconditioned equipment. The company acts as an authorized dealer for leading OEM brands and integrates Crown InfoLink fleet management as an add-on module across its forklift fleet. Crown InfoLink is the only software-adjacent product in the portfolio.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Crown Forklifts Multi-series Crown forklifts (SC, FC, RC, WP, SP, WAV, TSP, RM, RMD, RR, PE, WJ Series) including electric counterbalance, stand-up, order pickers, reach trucks, turret trucks, and pallet trucks, distributed by Cardinal Carryor as an authorized dealer.
• Clark Forklifts Clark forklifts including internal combustion, electric, cushion, and pneumatic models plus manual and electric pallet jacks, distributed as an authorized Clark dealer for warehouse and industrial applications.
• Bendi and Drexel Forklifts Very narrow aisle forklifts for warehouse space optimization. Bendi offers electric and LPG models with lift heights up to 41 feet and 3,000-5,500 lb capacities; Drexel fits aisles as small as 4'6" wide with stacking heights up to 31 feet and capacities up to 12,000 lbs.
• Hoist Forklifts Hoist lift trucks covering small loads up to 50+ ton capacity applications, including marina (Neptune), specialty, and reach-stacker models for heavy-duty and specialized material handling.
• Sellick Rough-Terrain Forklifts Sellick rough-terrain forklifts including S Series (up to 12,000 lbs), SLP low-profile (up to 8,000 lbs), S160 (up to 16,000 lbs), Poultry Series, STM truck-mounted, JCB Teletruk, and STT80 tow forklift for agriculture, oil fields, stone quarries, food processing, and chemical plants.
• Cushman Electric and Gas Carts Cushman electric and gas carts including Shuttle 2, Shuttle 4, Shuttle 4x, Shuttle 6 personnel carriers; Minute Miser burden carrier; Titan XD utility vehicle; Hauler 800 utility cart; and Stock Chaser for transporting people, tools, and equipment around facilities.
• Tennant Industrial Sweepers and Scrubbers Tennant industrial sweepers and scrubbers including T16 battery ride-on floor scrubber (up to 89,100 sq ft coverage), T17 high-performance battery scrubber (40-52 in cleaning path), and T300 walk-behind floor scrubber (17-24 in cleaning path) for warehouse and facility cleaning.
• Forklift Batteries and Chargers Hawker lead acid, gel electrolyte, and lithium-ion batteries (Energy Plus, Powerline, Top Power, Envirolink, Water Less, FLEX LI3); smart chargers (Powerguard, LifeGuard, LifeSpeed, LifePlus); Crown V-Force Lithium-Ion Energy Storage Systems with lateral charge ports; and BHS battery handling stations.
• Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) Crown Automated Guided Vehicles including the Auto Positioning System for very narrow-aisle automation with route optimization, and QuickPick Remote order picking technology for automated low-level order picking.
• Crown InfoLink Fleet Management Connected fleet management system providing real-time insight into equipment performance, operator behavior, and utilization through a touch display with customizable widgets, productivity tracking, safety monitoring, and uptime optimization for material handling fleets.
• Forklift Attachments and Accessories Forklift attachments including carton clamps, pallet forks, replacement forks, buckets, booms, side-shifters, fork positioners, push/pulls, rotators, bill clamps, and bag handlers to expand forklift functionality.
• Pre-owned and Reconditioned Equipment Used and reconditioned material handling equipment including Crown and Clark forklifts, pallet jacks, riders, and attachments, backed by Cardinal Carryor's 24/7 service and parts support.
• Equipment Service and Planned Maintenance 24/7 forklift and material handling equipment service with 50 mobile service vehicles, providing on-demand fleet service, mobile battery cleaning, rebuild and repair on-site, planned maintenance, rental equipment service, and Crown Integrity Service across Kentucky and Southern Indiana.
• Parts Department Material handling parts department stocking over 2,600 SKUs including forklift tires, load wheels, new or rebuilt electronic components, custom hoses and cables, with 24/7 emergency parts support and overnight delivery.
• Rentals and Leasing Short-term and long-term rentals as well as capital and operating leasing for forklifts, riders, pallet jacks, sweepers, scrubbers, and attachments, with gas, LPG, electric, and diesel models available in cushion or pneumatic tire configurations.
• OSHA-Compliant Operator Training OSHA-compliant forklift operator training implementing Crown's MoveSafe operator training with three-year re-evaluations, train-the-trainer programs, Crown and Clark training kits, and safety certification as required by OSHA Standard 1910.178, delivered on-site at customer facilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reach most locations in Kentuckiana area within one hour
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Crown Equipment CorporationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized Crown dealer since 1983, supplying new and used Crown machines, genuine Crown parts, and service for the Crown lift truck line throughout Southern Indiana and Central Kentucky. Crown is the #1 electric forklift manufacturer in the world.
• Clark Material Handling CompanycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized CLARK forklift dealer in Kentucky and Southern Indiana for over 50 years (relationship began approximately 1957). Offers full range of CLARK forklifts including internal combustion, electric, cushion, pneumatic and provides genuine CLARK parts and full service.
• BendicoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized Bendi dealer providing narrow aisle forklifts for very narrow aisle spaces. Bendi has been leading the way in innovative and space-saving machines since 1964 with electric and LPG powered models capable of stacking heights up to 41 feet.
• DrexelcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized Drexel dealer for very narrow aisle forklifts. Drexel forklifts can fit in aisles as small as 4'6' wide and handle stacking heights up to 31 feet with capacities up to 12,000 lbs.
• HoistcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized Hoist dealer carrying wide range of forklifts from small loads to 50+ ton capacity. 100% American-made Hoist lift trucks include cushion tire, electric, marina (Neptune), pneumatic tire, P-series reach-stackers, and specialty forklifts.
• SellickcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized Sellick dealer for rough-terrain forklifts. Sellick has been re-inventing rough-terrain forklifts since 1968 with headquarters in Ontario, Canada. Products include S Series (up to 12,000 lbs), SLP Series, S160 (up to 16,000 lbs), and JCB Teletruk.
• TennantcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized Tennant dealer for industrial sweepers and scrubbers including T16, T17, and T300 models for warehouse and facility cleaning applications.
• HawkercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized Hawker dealer for premiere lead acid batteries and smart battery charging. Also offers Hawker FLEX LI3 lithium-ion batteries and Hawker modular chargers including LIFEPLUS MOD3, LIFESPEED MOD3, and PTO MOD3 models.
• CushmancoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized Cushman dealer for electric and gas carts including Shuttle 2, Shuttle 4, Shuttle 4x, Shuttle 6, Minute Miser burden carriers, Titan XD, Hauler 800, and Stock Chaser models.
• Battery Handling Systems (BHS)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBHS battery handling partner offering single-level, multi-level, and portable battery changers as well as charge-and-change options for electric forklift fleets.
• KonecranesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKonecranes branded equipment mentioned as partner brand alongside other material handling equipment manufacturers.
• Grote IndustriesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGrote Industries logo displayed in partners section. Customer since 1985 with ongoing equipment and service relationship.
• Cardinal Integrated SystemscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company under Cardinal companies providing comprehensive warehouse solutions including dock levelers, truck restraints, conveyor systems, cranes and hoists, and industrial doors. Call Cardinal Integrated at 1-800-666-5600 for related repairs.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wolter Group: Family-owned material handling and industrial truck dealer based in Wisconsin, offering forklifts, fleet management, parts, and service — a comparable regional full-service dealer model.
• Equipment Depot: Large multi-region material handling dealer offering forklifts, aerial equipment, and material handling solutions with sales, rental, service, and parts; competes for the same enterprise and mid-market accounts as Cardinal Carryor.
• Atlas Companies: Regional material handling and warehouse solutions dealer in the Midwest offering forklifts, racks, automation, and integrated services — directly competes with Cardinal in overlapping geographies and customer segments.
• Broadway Equipment: Southeast U.S. material handling dealership providing forklifts, aerial lifts, parts, and service with multi-state coverage — directly comparable authorized-dealer / service model.
• MH Equipment: One of the largest independent material handling equipment dealer networks in the U.S., authorized across multiple OEMs with full sales/rental/service capabilities — directly comparable business model to Cardinal Carryor's full-service dealership across multiple states.
• Hilo Equipment: Multi-brand material handling dealer in the Midwest offering forklifts, aerial equipment, and warehouse solutions with sales, rental, parts, and service — comparable dealer profile.

Broad incumbents

• Clark Material Handling: Forklift OEM and long-tenured Cardinal partner for over 65 years; competes indirectly via other authorized dealers in adjacent territories and via its own direct accounts.
• The Raymond Corporation: Forklift and warehouse-truck OEM (now part of Toyota Industries) competing for narrow-aisle and warehouse customers that Cardinal also serves through Crown, Bendi/Drexel, and Hoist.
• Toyota Material Handling Systems Solutions: Largest forklift OEM globally with the most extensive U.S. dealer network; competes with Cardinal Carryor for the same warehouse and manufacturing customers via its own authorized dealers in the Midwest.
• Crown Equipment Corporation: OEM manufacturer and one of Cardinal Carryor's largest principal partners; operates its own direct-sales footprint in some regions and competes for service contracts while remaining the upstream supplier of Cardinal's largest product line.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CardinalCarryor
• Facebookfacebook.com/CardinalCarryor
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cardinal-carryor-&-cardinal-integrated-systems
• Xx.com/CardinalCares

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 Cardinal Carryor