Hyster-Yale Materials Handling
Corporate brand
UnclaimedA global manufacturer of lift trucks, material-handling equipment, attachments, and related technologies, marketed primarily under the Hyster, Yale, and Nuvera brands.
Last updated October 16, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile yet.
Overview
Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. is a United States-based industrial company focused on the design, engineering, manufacture, sale, and servicing of lift trucks and related material-handling equipment. Its products are marketed principally through the Hyster and Yale brands, two long-established names in the forklift industry. The company also supplies aftermarket parts and service support, allowing it to participate in the equipment life cycle beyond the initial sale. The company is the result of the combination of two established material-handling businesses. Yale's roots extend to Yale & Towne Manufacturing, a lock and industrial-equipment company that entered forklift production during the 1920s. Hyster developed separately as a manufacturer of industrial trucks and was later acquired by North American Coal Corporation, the predecessor of NACCO Industries. Yale was also acquired by NACCO in 1985. In 1989, the two businesses were combined within NACCO Materials Handling Group, creating a common operating platform for the Hyster and Yale product families. Although NACCO Materials Handling Group operated as a distinct business within NACCO Industries from 2002, it became an independent public company in 2012 through a spin-off. The new company adopted the name Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, reflecting the continued importance of both legacy brands. Its principal operating subsidiary is Hyster-Yale Group, Inc. Hyster-Yale's business covers a broad range of industrial trucks and supporting products used in warehouses, distribution centers, manufacturing plants, ports, logistics operations, construction, and other industrial environments. Its portfolio includes counterbalance lift trucks, warehouse equipment, and specialized trucks, together with replacement parts, maintenance, fleet support, and other aftermarket services. The Hyster and Yale brands are positioned to serve different customer requirements and distribution channels while sharing the capabilities of the wider operating group. The group has also expanded beyond conventional lift-truck manufacturing. Nuvera Fuel Cells, LLC, an affiliated operating business, develops fuel-cell stacks and related power systems, as well as equipment for on-site hydrogen production and dispensing. Bolzoni S.p.A. extends the group into attachments, forks, and lift tables, with products associated with the Bolzoni Auramo and Meyer brands. These businesses broaden Hyster-Yale's exposure to alternative power, truck integration, and specialized load-handling applications. The company sells and supports its products internationally. Its business model combines equipment manufacturing with dealer and service networks, aftermarket parts, brand-based product portfolios, and technology development. Hyster-Yale was included in the Fortune 1000 rankings in 2014, 2015, and 2016. The available reference material does not establish a current headquarters address, current chief executive, revenue figures, stock ticker, or a complete current product catalog; those details are therefore left unspecified here.
History
Hyster-Yale Materials Handling is rooted in the histories of the Hyster Company and Yale Materials Handling. Yale's industrial origins lie in Yale & Towne Manufacturing, which began as a lock company and entered the forklift business in the 1920s. Hyster developed as a separate manufacturer of lift trucks and other industrial equipment. Both businesses later came under the ownership of North American Coal Corporation, which subsequently became NACCO Industries. NACCO acquired Yale in 1985. In 1989, it combined Yale with Hyster to form NACCO Materials Handling Group. The combination brought the two established forklift brands into a shared corporate organization while retaining their separate market identities. The group operated within NACCO Industries for many years, but it had been managed as a standalone business within NACCO since 2002. In 2012, NACCO Materials Handling Group was separated from NACCO Industries in a public-company spin-off. The independent company was named Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc., and its principal operating subsidiary became Hyster-Yale Group, Inc. The new structure preserved the Hyster and Yale product franchises while giving the materials-handling business its own corporate identity and capital-market presence. Following the spin-off, the company continued to focus on lift trucks, parts, and service while developing a broader materials-handling platform. Its operating businesses include Nuvera Fuel Cells, which works on fuel-cell stacks, related systems, and hydrogen production and dispensing technologies. The group also includes Bolzoni S.p.A., a producer of attachments, forks, and lift tables whose brands include Bolzoni Auramo and Meyer. The resulting organization is therefore not simply a single forklift label but a corporate group built around several equipment and technology businesses. Hyster and Yale remain the principal truck brands, while the broader portfolio supports load handling, fleet operation, aftermarket service, and alternative-power applications. Hyster-Yale was recognized as a Fortune 1000 company in 2014, 2015, and 2016. The supplied historical reference does not provide enough information to document later corporate developments, current leadership, or current financial performance with confidence.
- 2016
Third recorded Fortune 1000 appearance
[1]Hyster-Yale Materials Handling was listed in the Fortune 1000 for a third consecutive recorded year.
- 2015
Fortune 1000 recognition continues
[1]The company again appeared in the Fortune 1000 listing.
- 2014
First recorded Fortune 1000 appearance
[1]Hyster-Yale Materials Handling was listed among Fortune 1000 companies.
- 2012
Spin-off creates Hyster-Yale Materials Handling
[1]NACCO Materials Handling Group was spun off from NACCO Industries as the separately listed Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc.
- 2002
Materials-handling group operates independently within NACCO
[1]NACCO Materials Handling Group began operating as a standalone business within NACCO Industries, prior to its later separation.
- 1989
Hyster and Yale are combined
[1]NACCO combined the Hyster Company and Yale businesses into NACCO Materials Handling Group, retaining the Hyster and Yale brand names.
- 1985
NACCO acquires Yale
[1]North American Coal Corporation, later known as NACCO Industries, acquired Yale Materials Handling.
- 1936
Willamette Hyster builds the BT lift truck and develops a straddle carrier
Willamette Hyster used a tractor chassis and engine to build the BT lift truck, which had a 6,000-pound lifting capacity, and developed a straddle carrier that same year.
- 1934
Yale opens its first overseas manufacturing facility; Willamette-Ersted is renamed
Yale & Towne opened its first overseas manufacturing facility in England, and Willamette-Ersted Company was renamed Willamette Hyster Company.
- 1929
Willamette-Ersted Company is founded
Charles F. Swigert founded Willamette-Ersted Company to manufacture winches and lifting machines for the lumber industry.
Products and positioning
A multi-brand, global provider of industrial lift trucks and material-handling solutions, combining established Hyster and Yale equipment brands with aftermarket support, specialized attachments, and alternative-power technologies. A global materials-handling solutions supplier serving industrial and logistics operations, with lift-truck and warehouse offerings complemented by attachment, technology, and energy businesses.
Lift trucks
Hyster lift trucks
The Hyster brand represents one of the group's principal industrial-truck product families. Its equipment is marketed for demanding material-handling environments and is supported by the group's parts and service capabilities. The supplied reference identifies Hyster as a primary global brand but does not provide a complete model-by-model catalog. Industrial lift trucks marketed primarily under the Hyster and Yale brands.
Lift trucks · 1920
Yale lift trucks
Yale is the group's other principal lift-truck brand. Its history reaches back to forklift production by Yale & Towne Manufacturing in the 1920s. Yale equipment forms part of Hyster-Yale's international truck portfolio, complemented by replacement parts and service support.
Alternative-power technology
Nuvera fuel-cell systems
Nuvera Fuel Cells develops fuel-cell stacks and associated systems for material-handling and other applications. Its activities also include technologies for on-site hydrogen production and dispensing, extending the group beyond conventional internal-combustion and battery-powered equipment.
Attachments and load-handling equipment
Bolzoni, Auramo, and Meyer products
Bolzoni S.p.A. supplies attachments, forks, and lift tables under the Bolzoni Auramo and Meyer brand names, as well as the Silver Line range. These products complement lift trucks by adapting them to different loads, handling tasks, and operating environments.
Aftermarket support
Aftermarket parts and services
Aftermarket parts, maintenance, and service support are an important part of the company's business model. These offerings help customers maintain equipment after purchase and support the operation of Hyster and Yale fleets over their working lives.
Warehouse equipment
Warehouse equipment
Equipment for materials-handling and warehouse applications, marketed primarily under the Hyster and Yale brands.
Lift-truck technologies and energy solutions
Offerings associated with Hyster-Yale Materials Handling and the Nuvera brand.
Attachments, forks, and lift tables
Bolzoni Group products sold under Bolzoni, Auramo, and Meyer brands, and in the Silver Line range.
Brand decisions
2012
Spin off the materials-handling businessM&ABackground
NACCO Materials Handling Group had operated as a standalone business within NACCO Industries since 2002.
Action taken
NACCO separated the group into an independent public company named Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc.
Aftermath
The materials-handling business gained a separate corporate identity centered on the Hyster and Yale brands.
1989
Combine Hyster and Yale operationsM&ABackground
NACCO owned both the Hyster and Yale materials-handling businesses and sought to organize them within a common operating group.
Action taken
The two businesses were combined to form NACCO Materials Handling Group while retaining the Hyster and Yale brand names.
Aftermath
The combination created the corporate predecessor of the later Hyster-Yale organization.
Sources5 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/hyster-yale-materials-handling · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled