Big Lift acquired Fort Worth, TX-based material handling equipment provider ePicker to boost its lithium-powered forklift offering.

“The addition of the ePicker team and ePicker forklift distributors will benefit both channels as it will enable Big Lift to dramatically increase our resource base, significantly strengthen our aftermarket support capabilities, and ensure we continue to launch high-quality, innovative products,” Big Lift President Dan Rosskamm said in a Feb. 27 news release.

Since its launch in 2021, ePicker has built a network of material handling distributors that market its portfolio of electric pallet jacks, stackers, access vehicles and lithium-ion-powered forklifts to customers across North America.

Big Lift is the North American subsidiary of global material handling equipment company EP Equipment, which specializes in the design and manufacture of lithium-powered forklifts, warehouse equipment and autonomous material handling solutions. Big Lift currently distributes Big Joe Forklifts.

Following its acquisition of ePicker, Big Lift will rebrand ePicker as EP to capitalize on its parent company’s global brand reputation. The North American EP brand will utilize the former ePicker leadership team that joined the company through the acquisition.

The Big Joe and EP brands will be distributed through their current sales channels while focusing on different product segments. The Big Joe channel will continue to focus on niche products and in-between-handling applications while the EP channel will primarily focus on “purpose-built” lithium-ion forklifts. Both brands will offer  autonomous solutions.