Big Joe Forklifts Celebrates 75 Years of Material Handling Innovation

Big Joe Forklifts is marking its 75th anniversary in 2026, celebrating its history in material handling while continuing to expand its focus on lithium-ion and autonomous equipment.

The company, founded in 1951, began with the introduction of its In Between Handling (IBH) manual straddle stacker. According to Big Joe, the product remains in production more than 70 years later at its Wisconsin manufacturing facility.

Since its founding, Big Joe has expanded its offerings to include powered pallet trucks, compact powered stackers, integrated lithium-ion forklifts and autonomous material handling systems. The company also noted that its E30 Electric Pallet Truck helped establish the ITA Class 3.1 category.

"Reaching 75 years is an incredible milestone, but what excites us most is the opportunity ahead," said Dan Rosskamm, president & CEO of Big Joe Forklifts. "Our history has been defined by challenging conventions and finding better ways to solve customer problems. As warehouses and supply chains continue to evolve, Big Joe is uniquely positioned to lead the electrification movement, providing purpose-built, integrated lithium solutions as a direct replacement for propane and diesel powered forklifts. We are also emerging as a disrupter in the autonomous space, offering approachable solutions that simply work. The foundation built over the last 75 years is our launch pad for the next 75."

Headquartered in DeForest, Wisconsin, Big Joe serves customers throughout North America through its dealer network. The company said its investments in electrification, lithium-ion battery manufacturing and automation have accelerated since joining the EP Equipment family in 2009.

"As we celebrate 75 years of Big Joe, we're honoring the people, partnerships and innovations that have defined our journey," said Martin Boyd, chief marketing officer of Big Joe Forklifts. "From the introduction of the original IBH stacker to our leadership in lithium-powered equipment and autonomous solutions, Big Joe has always focused on empowering the people who move things. Our anniversary is not just a celebration of where we've been - it's a statement about where we're headed as we continue helping customers move confidently into the future of material handling."

Big Joe said it will commemorate the anniversary throughout 2026 with events and initiatives recognizing the employees, dealers, customers and product innovations that have contributed to the company's history.