Pennsylvania-based materials handling company Equipco Division Phillips Corporation (Equipco), recently celebrated its 70th anniversary as a Hyster® dealer. Equipco is Hyster Company’s oldest dealership, tracing its roots back to 1944, when owners Jack and Jim Phillips signed a dealership agreement to become the first independent Hyster dealer in the United States.

Today, Equipco continues to be a predominant supplier of materials handling equipment, offering a full line of custom-built Hyster lift trucks for tough applications. The dealership consists of 100 employees with an average tenure of 13 years, and is recognized as a top-performing Hyster dealer – earning the Hyster Dealer of Distinction Award six times, most recently in 2013.

“From the beginning, our partnership with Hyster focused on building long-term professional relationships between our teams, and maintaining open lines of communication,” said Carl Swanson, president and dealer principal for Equipco. “Even amid changes in the industry, this approach has enabled us to provide excellent products and customer service for 70 years, and we look forward to continuing to do so for another 70 years.”

To commemorate the anniversary, Hyster Company treated Equipco employees to a Pittsburgh Pirates game in August, and Equipco hosted a golf tournament for customers and company partners on September 10.

“We are honored to call Equipco one of our dealers and to celebrate this milestone with them,” said Bob Sattler, vice president of dealer development for Hyster. “For seven decades, Equipco has continued to place their trust in Hyster Company to deliver durable, reliable lift trucks to their customers. This is not only a testament to the quality of our products, but also to the strong relationship we build with our dealers, to anticipate and meet their needs, and exceed the demands of their customers.”