Northern Leader

Equipment World Inc. is a Northern Ontario owned company, commenced operation in 1973 with the belief there was a need for a local source specializing in material handling, storage and packaging systems. We have since expanded to service all of Northern Ontario and produce our own catalogue to better assist our customers in evaluating their requirements. We stock a complete inventory in our 30,000 square foot main warehouse at 988 Alloy Drive in Thunder Bay. As well, our full service facilities in Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie give our customers the opportunity to see the various products and discuss specific requirements at a local level.

Solution focused, we have a full service approach to provide the most efficient and effective answers for our customers. We provide technical consultation to assess customers needs via on site visits and computer design and layout capabilities with full turnkey project management.

Management Teams at Equipment World Inc. have many years of experience in our specialty markets. We give all customers personal service and technical assistance with any storage and packaging need. Local warranty , service and parts back all equipment sold.

Service facilities have been expanded with a competent staff of technicians, each one an expert in his specific area of repair. Equipment World has been a Toyota forklift dealer since 1976 and since then we have developed a strong network of service, parts and product knowledge, all easily accessible by a leading edge computer program. We also recondition, provide general repairs and contract maintenance programs for all types of material handling equipment specializing in Toyota, Genie, Gehl, Wacker Neuson, Blue Giant and Loadlifter.

Rental and Lease departments have a complete range of forklifts, lift platforms, booms, levelers and skid steer products available for our customers. All units in our rental fleet are current well-maintained models to guarantee the highest productivity and greatest safety to the user.

Operator Safety Training for Aerial Work Platforms, Forklifts, Lift trucks, and Propane Handling are available on a regular basis. These courses have been developed by Equipment World Inc. to comply with C.S.A , Ministry of Labour and Occupational Health and Safety Guidelines. All of our qualified trainers will provide certified training for our customers as part of our commitment to great service. These courses can be tailored to your specific needs and performed at your location or ours.

Packaging Products are readily available from our current stock. Items from packing tape to steel strapping to dunnage bags will insure your cargo is safe and secure during transportation.

Equipment World Inc. is a local company realizing that Great Value and Great Service are most important to our customers. We are committed to ensuring that you are a satisfied customer who has been supplied with quality products and value added service.

Thunder Bay

Thunder Bay Rentals Division 1185 Roland St. ON P7B 5M5 Phone:

Thunder Bay 988 Alloy Dr. ON

Thunder Bay 988 Alloy Dr. ON P7B 6A5 Phone: Fax:

Sault Ste. Marie 235 Drive-In Road ON

Sault Ste. Marie 235 Drive-In Road ON P6B 5X5 Phone: Fax:

Sudbury 1130 Lorne St. ON

P3C 4S9

Phone:

Fax:

Equipment World Inc. is a Northern Ontario owned company, commenced operation in 1973 with the belief there was a need for a local source specializing in material handling, storage and packaging systems. We have since expanded to service all of Northern Ontario and produce our own catalogue to better assist our customers in evaluating their requirements. We stock a complete inventory in our 30,000 square foot main warehouse at 988 Alloy Drive in Thunder Bay. As well, our full service facilities in Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie give our customers the opportunity to see the various products and discuss specific requirements at a local level.

Solution focused, we have a full service approach to provide the most efficient and effective answers for our customers. We provide technical consultation to assess customers needs via on site visits and computer design and layout capabilities with full turnkey project management.

Management Teams at Equipment World Inc. have many years of experience in our specialty markets. We give all customers personal service and technical assistance with any storage and packaging need. Local warranty , service and parts back all equipment sold.

Service facilities have been expanded with a competent staff of technicians, each one an expert in his specific area of repair. Equipment World has been a Toyota forklift dealer since 1976 and since then we have developed a strong network of service, parts and product knowledge, all easily accessible by a leading edge computer program. We also recondition, provide general repairs and contract maintenance programs for all types of material handling equipment specializing in Toyota, Genie, Gehl, Wacker Neuson, Blue Giant and Loadlifter.

Rental and Lease departments have a complete range of forklifts, lift platforms, booms, levelers and skid steer products available for our customers. All units in our rental fleet are current well-maintained models to guarantee the highest productivity and greatest safety to the user.

Operator Safety Training for Aerial Work Platforms, Forklifts, Lift trucks, and Propane Handling are available on a regular basis. These courses have been developed by Equipment World Inc. to comply with C.S.A , Ministry of Labour and Occupational Health and Safety Guidelines. All of our qualified trainers will provide certified training for our customers as part of our commitment to great service. These courses can be tailored to your specific needs and performed at your location or ours.

Packaging Products are readily available from our current stock. Items from packing tape to steel strapping to dunnage bags will insure your cargo is safe and secure during transportation.

Equipment World Inc. is a local company realizing that Great Value and Great Service are most important to our customers. We are committed to ensuring that you are a satisfied customer who has been supplied with quality products and value added service.

Thunder Bay Rentals Division 1185 Roland St. ON P7B 5M5 Phone: Thunder Bay 988 Alloy Dr. ON P7B 6A5 Phone: Fax: Sault Ste. Marie 235 Drive-In Road ON P6B 5X5 Phone: Fax: Sudbury 1130 Lorne St. ON P3C 4S9 Phone: Fax:
Equipment World is pleased to present our Mission, Vision & Values called our "CIRCLE OF COMMITMENT"

Making a commitment to corporate values in 2010, the management team conducted some strategic planning sessions and developed a formal Mission, Vision & Values statement for Equipment World. "We started by analyzing how we had been operating over the years and what we felt were integral aspects of our business and how each individual conducts themselves on a daily basis," says Heather Syvitski, Corporate Marketing Director. "We wanted to create a visual that depicted our core values and incorporated our Customers, Employees, Suppliers and the Communities in which we live. We came up with our 'Circle of Commitment' that encompasses Respect, Integrity, Responsibility and Innovation." Equipment World has many core values built into each of these statements and they feel it will be the driving force of everything they do for years to come.

Equipment World is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer that prides itself on inclusivity. Please contact us If you require accommodation throughout any stage of the recruitment process.

Knudsen equipped to run, and grow the family business

Equipment World's Lyle Knudsen is following in his father's footsteps, but the Thunder Bay entrepreneur hasn't been afraid to carve out new paths along the way.

"There is a theory that has been loosely attributed to Charles Darwin that I truly believe," said Knudsen: "It is not necessarily the strong that survive, but rather those that successfully adapt to change."

And there have been adaptations by the Knudsens since they first opened their doors in 1973. From offering a 1,500-square-foot facility, they've expanded to a 20,000-square-foot hub in Thunder Bay's industrial centre, with locations in Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie, and a mobile account management service in Timmins and North Bay. Equipment World now offers its material handling, storage and packaging services, along with training and equipment servicing, across Northern Ontario and a range of industries.

Knudsen's father, Peter Knudsen, was born to Danish immigrants and grew up on a farm in Pass Lake, Ont., a small town about 50 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay. When he was 15, he moved to the big city of Port Arthur, now a part of Thunder Bay, to pursue a high school education. After receiving his diploma, he worked on freighters, managed a restaurant, banked, and eventually became the manager for a local industrial supply company. In 1973, Peter decided to start his own business and he and business partner Jim Sutton opened Equipment World.

But, he had help.

"Thanks to the support and understanding of my mother, who also worked to contribute to the family and had the challenge of raising three boys, my father was able to spend many a long day working on developing his niche in the industrial marketplace," said Lyle.

While his father built up Equipment World, Lyle was busy taking tech courses at Hammarskjold High School, playing sports and planning the next phase of his life. When he graduated, he stuck around Thunder Bay to take sales and marketing management at Confederation College. Despite the ongoing success of Equipment World, and his success in tech courses and marketing, Lyle chose to look for a career elsewhere upon graduation.

"After college I felt compelled to work somewhere other than the family business," said Lyle.

He dove into working as a sales rep for an industrial rubber services company. But, in 1987, Equipment World branched into Sudbury and Lyle decided to join his father as a sales rep.

By 1990, he'd purchased father's partner's shares, and became a 50 per cent partner with his "father and mentor."

Lyle's early years took him on long trips, up to two weeks at a time, south down Highway 17, visiting communities to build the Sudbury-area business connections.

"It made for some long days and weeks, but it gave me a chance to truly appreciate the vast expanse of Northern Ontario. There is not a town in the North that I have not visited to knock on doors," said Lyle.

Peter retired several years ago, and now Lyle runs the day-to-day operations at Equipment World. The younger Knudsen wakes up around 5 a.m. , heads to the gym, and sits down at his desk by 7 a.m. to review the barrage of emails awaiting him. On Mondays, he sits down with staff for a general meeting, which are "held religiously at each location," a testament to the dedication he has to building a strong team. His days still take him out of the office, though, and he's always visiting customer sites and building new relationships.

When Lyle heads home, the nature of a family-run business means he's still somewhat in Equipment World mode. His professional partnership with Toyota, dealing forklifts, has become personal, and one of his prized possessions is his restored1969 Toyota FJ-40, a retro land cruiser that fits right in with his lifestyle.

Lyle and his wife Tarja spend their leisure time with their two children, close family and friends, appreciating their camp on Loon Lake and adventuring across the province.

What is Lyle excited for in the next year?

"As I say every day when someone asks, 'How ya doin?' Another day in paradise."

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