The loading dock and material handling industry has evolved substantially during the last
fifty years. So has Blue Giant Equipment Corporation, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in May 2013. By effectively identifying market trends and recognizing product development opportunities, Blue Giant has made strategic decisions that keep the company at the forefront of innovation. The world-renowned product line includes dock levelers (including the industry’s first air cylinder dock leveler), ground-level lifts, vehicle restraints, intelligent dock controls, seals and shelters, and a diverse offering of material handling products. Below are major milestones in Blue Giant’s history, which outline the company’s ability to identify industry trends and needs and successfully accommodate them.
1960s Blue Giant was founded on May 30, 1963, and quickly became a leading manufacturer of dock levelers and hand pallet trucks.
1970s Blue Giant’s customer base expanded so rapidly that new product offerings (electric pallet trucks and stackers, dock lifts and scissor lifts) were introduced to supply the growing demand. Licensee partnerships in Australia and South Africa resulted in Blue Giant dominating the market in both countries.
1980s Blue Giant’s primary manufacturing location in Brampton, Ontario, was expanded from 35,000 to 100,000 square feet to handle the large influx of orders. In 1985 the company signaled its future focus on product innovation by introducing the TL85, the first non-impact vehicle restraint, to the North American market.
1990s Blue Giant’s global presence expanded with licensee partnerships in Mexico and Southeast Asia. Demand for Blue Giant product resulted in high-volume sales, such as the order placed by the Singapore Port Authority for 309 mechanical dock levelers. On the material handling front, the company redesigned its industrial truck line to include ergonomic handles and a sleeker, more maneuverable body. The new trucks were easier to use and more compatible with tight spaces, making them a standard feature in busy warehouses and logistics centres.
2000-2010 The new millennium has witnessed tremendous growth in new product development. In 2001 Blue Giant introduced the XDS Extra Dock Safety Series, the only 2-in-1 interlocked dock system that lowered the risk of forklift run-off and overhead door damage. More innovations rapidly followed: the StrongArm™ SVR303 vehicle restraint, whose patented technology and trusted performance made it a winner in Plant Engineering’s Product of the Year competition in 2009; the U-Series dock leveler platform, which reduces deck fatigue by enabling a better distributed load, and the Air Cylinder dock leveler, an industry first that uses the power of air to deliver the same optimum performance that makes Blue Giant dock levelers an industry standard.
2011-Present Blue Giant continues to expand its product line and global presence. Stocking locations have been opened all over North America, providing customers with quick and cost-effective access to parts and equipment. In 2011, the company entered into a strategic partnership with Big Lift LLC to exclusively distribute the Big Joe brand of AC-powered industrial trucks in Canada. In 2012, Blue Giant launched the StrongArm™ HVR303 electric vehicle restraint and the Air Cylinder Series, the industry’s first air cylinder dock equipment system. Both products are environmentally sustainable, indicating the company’s ongoing support for green building practices and initiatives.
