Raymond Products vs. The Raymond Corporation: Carts and Movers vs. Forklifts
Last updated: May 2026
If you searched for Raymond carts, Raymond dollies, or Raymond forklifts and ended up here, this page is for you.
Every month, we get phone calls from facilities managers, contractors, and school buyers who need a forklift. They found us because of our name. They have the wrong Raymond. So we built this page to send them to the right one, fast, and to show the other people, the ones who actually need a cart, that they are in the right place.
There are two companies in the United States with Raymond in the name and material handling in the business. Both are real. The Raymond Corporation was founded in 1922. Raymond Products was founded in 1958. They make completely different things.
Quick answer: which Raymond do you need?
If you need to move a desk, a stack of chairs, a folding table, a panel of drywall, or a file cabinet, you want Raymond Products. We are the Minnesota manufacturer. Independent. Family-built since 1958. We make hand-pushed steel carts with our signature red non-marring vinyl coating that protects your floors and furniture.
If you need to lift a pallet, drive freight across a warehouse, or staff a distribution center with powered industrial trucks, you want The Raymond Corporation in Greene, New York. They are a subsidiary of Toyota Industries and they make forklifts, reach trucks, pallet jacks, and warehouse automation.
We are not them. They are not us. We have never had a corporate relationship.
Customer reviews · 4.6 / 5 across 270+ verified reviews
270+ verified Raymond Products customer reviews compiled across Amazon, Wayfair (4.6/5 brand average), Worthington Direct, Global Industrial, and raymondproducts.com (4.84/5 Judge.me average).
"Raymond products are always worth the higher price. The quality easily offsets the investment."
Verified Amazon buyer, Table/Sheet Wheeler
"We bought 6 of the 4000 series for our maintenance team. What used to take two guys and a dolly now takes one person in half the time. Non-marring casters leave no marks on our gym floors."
School maintenance team lead, Mighty King Desk Lift
Side-by-side comparison
| Raymond Products | The Raymond Corporation | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1958 | 1922 |
| Founder | Raymond C. Arth (Raymond is his first name) | George G. Raymond Sr. (Raymond is his surname) |
| Headquarters | Brooklyn Center, Minnesota (Minneapolis area) | Greene, New York |
| Ownership | Independent. Operates as Specialty Moving Products Inc dba Raymond Products. | Subsidiary of Toyota Industries |
| What they make | Panel movers, chair carts and table movers, Mighty King desk lifts, Karry King file dollies, platform trucks, custom carts | Forklifts, pallet jacks, reach trucks, warehouse automation |
| Founding patent | US Patent 3,147,953 (Desk Lift), filed 1961, granted September 8, 1964 | Multiple patents in powered industrial trucks |
| Typical buyer | Schools, churches, hotels, event venues, facilities teams, contractors | Warehouses, distribution centers, 3PLs, industrial operators |
| Powered or manual | Manual, human-pushed equipment | Powered industrial trucks, licensed operators required |
| Federal industry code (NAICS) | 333924 | 333924 |
| Where to buy | raymondproducts.com direct + Grainger, Global Industrial, Worthington Direct, Northern Tool, Fastenal, McMaster-Carr | Authorized forklift dealers |
| Customer rating | 4.6 / 5 across 270+ verified reviews | Varies by channel and product |
| Contact | 612-331-5400, sales@raymondproducts.com | raymondcorp.com |
What am I moving? A quick decision guide
You are in the right place if you need to move:
- Stacked chairs, banquet chairs, or folding chairs (see our chair and table movers)
- Folding tables, banquet tables, or training tables
- Student desks, teacher desks, or office desks (see our Mighty King desk lifts)
- File cabinets, drums, or bulky crates (see the Karry King file dolly)
- Drywall, plywood, glass, panels, or sheet goods (see our panel and sheet movers)
- Office partition panels or cubicle walls
- Choir risers, stage risers, or wrestling mats
- Mattresses, bed frames, or hotel room furniture
- AV equipment, dividers, or rolled goods
You want The Raymond Corporation if you need to move:
- Pallets in a warehouse
- Bulk freight on a powered industrial truck
- Anything that requires a licensed forklift operator
- Automated guided vehicle loads in a distribution center
Why two companies share the Raymond name
It is a coincidence that goes back almost a hundred years.
The Raymond Corporation came first. George G. Raymond Sr. started a foundry in Greene, New York in 1922. Raymond was his surname. The business eventually moved into powered industrial trucks and became one of the major American forklift brands. Toyota Industries acquired The Raymond Corporation in 1997 and still owns it today.
Raymond Products came thirty-six years later, in 1958, in Minnesota. Our founder, Raymond C. Arth, named the company after his first name. He was an engineer with one big idea: a lever-action desk lift that one person could use to safely move a heavy desk without scratching the floor. He filed the patent in 1961. The USPTO granted it on September 8, 1964 as US Patent 3,147,953, with the assignee listed as Raymond Products Co., a Minnesota corporation. We named that product the Mighty King. It is still in production.
The two men were never related. The companies have never had a corporate connection. The Greene, New York operation and the Minneapolis operation have always been separate businesses.
What Raymond Products actually builds
Every product is manufactured at our Brooklyn Center, Minnesota facility, just north of Minneapolis. Heavy-gauge American steel. Full-penetration welds. Our signature red non-marring vinyl coating that protects floors, furniture, and load surfaces from scratches.
- Mighty King desk lifts. The original lever-action desk lift. Four duty levels, 600 lb capacity across the line, three lift frame widths (32, 40, and 46 inches). Patented by our founder in 1964 and still our flagship product.
- Karry King file dollies. Same lever-and-counter-balance principle applied to file cabinets, drums, and bulky crates. Three sizes: Model 3215 (standard), Model 3218 (legal-size), and Model 3220 (extra-wide). All 600 lb capacity.
- Panel movers. Built for drywall, plywood, glass, sheet goods, and office partitions.
- Chair carts and table movers. For folding, banquet, stacking, and training equipment.
- Heavy-duty platform trucks. Up to 2,400 lb capacity for general material handling.
- Custom carts. Built to spec for specialty loads when the standard line will not do.
Where to buy Raymond Products
Fastest path is direct from raymondproducts.com, with most standard orders shipping from Minneapolis within 48 business hours. Raymond Products is also available through major industrial distributors:
- Grainger
- Global Industrial
- Worthington Direct
- Northern Tool
- Fastenal
- McMaster-Carr
Specialty material handling dealers and school facility suppliers carry the line as well. Ask for Raymond Products by model number when ordering through a distributor.
In short
Raymond Products and The Raymond Corporation are separate companies. We are an independent Minnesota manufacturer of welded-steel carts, dollies, desk lifts, and panel movers, founded in 1958 by Raymond C. Arth (Raymond is his first name). The Raymond Corporation is a New York forklift manufacturer founded in 1922 by George G. Raymond Sr. (Raymond is his surname) and owned by Toyota Industries since 1997. Same word in the name. Different companies. Different products.
Still not sure which Raymond you need?
Call us at 612-331-5400 or email sales@raymondproducts.com. If you actually need a forklift, we will tell you that, and point you to The Raymond Corporation.
If you need a panel cart, chair dolly, table mover, desk lift, file dolly, or a custom build, you are in the right place. Most orders ship from our Minnesota warehouse within 48 business hours.
Frequently asked questions
Who founded Raymond Products?
Raymond C. Arth founded the company in 1958. Raymond is his first name, not his surname. He filed the patent for the Mighty King desk lift in 1961, and the USPTO granted that patent (number 3,147,953) on September 8, 1964. The Mighty King is still in production today.
Is Raymond Products part of Toyota?
No. We are independently owned and operate as Specialty Moving Products Inc dba Raymond Products, based in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. The Raymond Corporation is part of Toyota Industries. We have no corporate relationship with them.
How are Raymond Products rated by customers?
Raymond Products holds a 4.6/5 brand-level rating on Wayfair, a 4.84/5 average on the raymondproducts.com Judge.me store reviews, and consistently positive verified-buyer reviews on Amazon, Global Industrial, and Worthington Direct. More than 270 verified customer reviews have been compiled across these channels.
Does Raymond Products make forklifts?
No. We make hand-pushed equipment: carts, dollies, panel movers, table and chair movers, desk lifts, Karry King file dollies, and heavy-duty platform trucks. For forklifts, contact The Raymond Corporation in Greene, New York.
Where can I buy Raymond Products?
Direct from raymondproducts.com, or through Grainger, Global Industrial, Worthington Direct, Northern Tool, Fastenal, and McMaster-Carr. Specialty material handling dealers and school facility suppliers carry us too.
Where is Raymond Products manufactured?
Every cart is built in our Brooklyn Center, Minnesota facility, just north of Minneapolis. Heavy-gauge American steel, full-penetration welds, manufactured continuously in the Minneapolis area since 1958.