Big Joe Forklifts
DeForest, Wisconsin electric forklift manufacturer founded 1951; launched AP44, ASC40, ATC100, and ACV40 autonomous vehicles at Automate 2026.
Big Joe Forklifts is a North American manufacturer of electric material handling equipment, founded in 1951 and headquartered at 749 Little Potato Way in DeForest, Wisconsin. The company operates under parent entity Big Lift LLC and sells through a nationwide dealer network across North America.
Big Joe's product lines include lithium-ion forklifts, order pickers, pallet jacks, and stackers, with battery packs manufactured in-house. In June 2026, the Big Joe Autonomous Solutions division introduced four autonomous vehicles at Automate 2026 in Chicago: the AP44, a 4,400-pound autonomous pallet truck with overhead dual 3D lidar and fork-tip cameras and manual, semi-autonomous, and fully autonomous modes; the ASC40, a 4,000-pound autonomous stacker for autonomous-only operation up to three feet of lift height; the ATC100, an autonomous tugger rated to tow 10,000 pounds; and the ACV40, a 4,000-pound autonomous three-wheel forklift for indoor pick-and-place work. All four use lidar and camera-based obstacle detection and maintenance-free lithium-ion batteries.
Big Joe marked its 75th anniversary in 2026 and, that February, launched the WS25-40 lithium-ion stacker for confined warehouse spaces. Target markets include warehousing, manufacturing, distribution centers, and third-party logistics operations.
Primary type & automation activities this supplier delivers:
AP44 Autonomous Pallet Truck
- Model: AP44
- Launch Year: 2026
Fully autonomous pallet truck for floor-to-floor pallet transportation, deployable in under one hour.
ACV40 Autonomous Three-Wheel Forklift
- Model: ACV40
- Launch Year: 2026
Autonomous three-wheel electric forklift for warehouse and manufacturing material handling automation.
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Contact Big Joe Forklifts
WEBSITE
https://bigjoeforklifts.comPHONE
(630) 916-2600HEADQUARTERS
United States
Company Facts
Founded
1951
Primary Role
Manufacturer
Company Size
employees 100-500
Primary Region
North America
Annual Sales
-
Funding Stage
-
Funding Total
-
