The Grimsby, Ontario, custom material handling equipment design/manufacturing firm turns 60 this year. From humble beginnings to a world-class solutions provider, Handling Specialty’s diverse customer base covers multiple industries and applications.
Established in 1963, the company marks its 60th year in business!
Diversification was key in building Handling Specialty’s brand in the early 1980s. As a scissor lift supplier to the automotive industry from the start, the company saw unlimited potential in branching out into other industries that would benefit from its extensive experience. Building equipment solutions for aerospace, advanced manufacturing, rail & transportation, power generation, iron & steel, and entertainment while continuing to design and build for the automotive industry rocketed Handling Specialty to new heights.
With one successful project completed after another, word-of-mouth got out, and Handling was fielding quote requests from some of North America’s biggest manufacturers and MRO facilities. This built confidence within the company to further expand on its top-tier talent and procure additional square footage.
In 2007, expanding the manufacturing operations to 100,000 sq ft in Hamilton, Ontario, offered opportunities to land larger projects with 105’ ceilings, 21’ rollup bay doors, 160-ton cranes, multiple weld cells, and much more.
The Hamilton plant also received a large-scale Blast booth and Paint booth in 2018 to keep this aspect of the business in-house. With in-house sales, engineering, manufacturing, procurement, logistics, installation, parts & service, marketing, and accounting at the head office in Grimsby, Handling Specialty is a self-contained juggernaut in the custom design and build business.
Handling Specialty also decided to build its own controls for its custom material handling equipment in-house in 2009. 2013 saw Handling’s 50th anniversary, and the company continues to capture exciting projects from assembly and MRO industries the world over. Additionally, the company boasts multiple return customers. Now with IIoT 4.0 technology being built into these custom equipment solutions, our customers can approach service proactively, reducing downtime by addressing an issue before a component fails.
We Build Big Things so our Customers can Build Big Things
From design to assembly line, Handling Specialty has been engineering and manufacturing robust, technologically superior custom material handling equipment to our clients for 60 years. With decades of experience to draw from and the top talent engaged in creating enhanced solutions for the assembly and MRO industry, there is no better choice than Handling Specialty.
“We’ve made mistakes over our long history of engineering and manufacturing, discovered the solutions, and grown into one of the most trusted, multifaceted material handling design companies in the world,” says Tom Beach, President of the manufacturing solutions company.
“If you want to automate your facility and know that automation must be balanced with upstream and downstream processes, Handling Specialty’s tech-savvy engineering and sales personnel can make sense of how our custom systems can marry new equipment with existing processes.” Beach continues.
Handling Specialty’s design capabilities and engineering expertise allows them to tackle your one-of-a-kind applications that may have unique or extreme requirements involving usage, operating environment, and/or weight capacity. Regardless of your handling challenges, they will provide you with a high-quality, dependable solution.
Whether it is a single custom personnel platform for a material handling integrator, a custom scissor lift, an automatic or manually guided vehicle for your manufacturing facility, or a major turn-key project for your multinational company, Handling Specialty has the team to make your project a success. “We are your one-stop shop for the design, manufacture, installation, and support of your custom project,” Beach explains.
Why Choose Handling Specialty for your Custom Equipment Solutions?
With sixty years behind us and technology and precision handling at the forefront of our designs, Handling Specialty is driving the future of manufacturing, assembly, and maintenance facilities across multiple industries all over the world.
The company’s core values also speak to why they have done so well over the last sixty years, catering to multiple industries’ custom material handling needs. These values include the following:
Accountability – As a company, we take responsibility for our employees and customers seriously. Safety is always observed in the design, manufacture, and installation of our custom equipment. A company that is accountable for its work stands by its work.
Persistent Creativity – As a custom design/build firm, Handling Specialty takes great pride in creating robust, complex solutions for our customers through relentless drive, product knowledge, and creative license to meet and exceed expectations.
Collaborative – Teamwork is a necessity in any successful business, and with a creative company like ours, the need to collaborate as we face extraordinary design challenges is ingrained in our culture. As each department shapes and defines the next steps with each other, and our clients, challenges are met and conquered.
Integrity – Regardless of the complexity of a project, once accepted, Handling Specialty’s team of ‘bar-raising’ professionals build trust through ethical practices and dedication to see it through to the finish line.
Respectful – Promoting wellness within is just one-way Handling Specialty shows we care. Respecting the needs of our clients and the processes involved in completing a project is another.
Testimonials Tell the Story of a Sixty-Year-Old Company
Handling Specialty has and continues to be a company that exemplifies the story of quality, innovation, and performance on the global stage. Led by a world-class management team and driven by an amazing workforce, Handling is a major contributor to the economic prosperity of the entire Niagara region. – David Oakes, Director of Economic Development – Regional Municipality of Niagara
We have had a long-term relationship with Handling Specialty and have been particularly happy with the service & product quality during this time. I would recommend them for any lifting applications based on our experience. – John Sanger Senior Tooling Technologist – Bombardier Transportation
Handling Specialty is a world-class company. They are committed to your success. They are upfront with you about their capabilities and core competencies. The products provided are the best in class. Service and follow-up have been prompt and effective. I would recommend Handling Specialty for all your material handling projects. – Michael Gorman Project Manager – Distributive Power Company Canada – INNIO
Thank you and your team for making a solid product that stands up to the abuse we put it through. – Robby Lett Slide Gate Technician – Nucor Steel Tuscaloosa, Inc
Our delivery was ready sooner than expected and installed on deadlines. Handling Specialty has a proactive installation team. – Simon Langlois Maltais Project Manager – Pomerleau
The Handling Specialty team was good to work with and very responsive to all concerns. I enjoyed working with your team. Always satisfied. – Terry Greathead – ABB Inc.
The MGV is a very simple application that was intuitively integrated and required no formal installation or training. – Kurt Erlanger – AMSTED RAIL COMPANY Inc.
I cannot think of when we had a relationship that was so supportive and attentive. – Tony Ricotta Manager – ‘O’ Show – Cirque de Soleil
Notable Projects without an NDA Attached
- Aerospace Jet Engine test cell
- F-35 Joint Strike Fighter assembly equipment
- Jet Engine test platform
- Cirque de Soleil ‘O’ Show underwater stage lift
- Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines Aqua theatre x 6
- Go Transit turn-key material handling system for their MRO facility
- The House of Dancing Water underwater Stage system in Macau
- Automated Guided Vehicle system design and built for a truck assembly plant
- Complete assembly system for INNIO power generation assembly plant
- Custom personnel lifts for nuclear maintenance operations
For more information on this banner year and upcoming events to celebrate this milestone achievement, contact the Marketing Manager.
