In 1997, Tom Thorsen, Edward Schreiber and Paul Derderian formed Nissan Lift of New York Inc, now doing business as IHS, in the Ozone Park neighbourhood of New York City's borough of Queens.

Each founding member remains involved today, Schreiber as president, Derderian as vice president and Middletown facility general manager and Thorsen as secretary-treasurer and Garden City site general manager.

As the legal name suggests, the business started as a Nissan forklift dealer with exclusive rights for the five boroughs of New York City plus Long Island. The business was small but began to grow, resurrect the Nissan forklift marketshare in the vicinity and build a reputation.

That led to opportunity. In late 1998, an upstate Nissan dealership, Orange Handling, was closing. Nissan Forklift Corp NA allowed Thorsen, Schreiber and Derderian to expand their territory while continuing to represent Nissan in their existing region.

In January 1999, they completed the acquisition of the Orange Handling assets, hired all existing personnel and occupied the 24,000 sqft (2,160 sqm) Middletown facility-now 28,000 sqft (2,520 sqm).

Thorsen, Schreiber and Derderian became responsible for 35 employees, up from 10, and an additional geographic swathe of New York State, covering 20 counties including Westchester and Rockland counties, the Hudson River valley up to the state capital in Albany, and area north and west of Albany.

The original location in the Queens, meanwhile, bulged at the seams for about three years. In 2000, the business moved a few blocks to a larger Ozone Park facility.

In 2002, Daewoo Forklift America approached the firm and, in December, awarded its dealership for New York City's five boroughs, Westchester County and Long Island to the three owners. In 2007, reflecting new ownership, Daewoo became Doosan Infracore America, operating as Doosan Forklift.

Thorsen, Schreiber and Derderian were off and running. From 2002-2007, service, part, rental and equipment sales revenues for their Queens and Middletown locations grew at nearly 12% per year, says Baron Selman, vice president of sales and marketing.

Selman joined the company in 2003 as sales associate and information technology administrator and was named to his current position in May 2007. Selman was introduced to the industry by his father, Gary, as a salesman from 1997 through 2001 at his father's wholesale forklift company, Genesis Lift Inc of South Plainfield, New Jersey.

The owners changed to the IHS identity in January 2007 to better communicate capabilities and representation of multiple forklift brands. "We changed our name from Nissan Lift of New York Inc to Infiniti Handling Systems," Selman says. "We did this to accurately reflect our growing business and diversity with all manufacturers of lift trucks."

Growth required more expansion. "Our Queens location was too small, and we found a 15,000 sqft (1,350 sqm) building 20 minutes away in Garden City," New York on Long Island, Selman notes. "In late 2007, we closed on the building and moved in a few months later. This building tripled our size. In the near future, we plan renovations in Garden City to make the location specific to the forklift industry and allow all departments to operate efficiently."

Selman says, "We retain a parts and service depot in Ozone Park to continue the level of service for our Brooklyn and Queens customers."

To gain a full product line, IHS added equipment from Clark Material Handling Co. "After a few meetings between management and Clark, we were awarded the dealership for Long Island, Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Westchester, Rockland and Orange counties" in July 2007, Selman notes. In early 2009, Clark awarded the upstate territories to IHS.

Business in the State of New Jersey accounts for almost 10% of IHS revenue. "Throughout the years, just because we had offices in New York never meant we did not do business in New Jersey," Selman observes. "In May 2008, we were granted additional territory as the authorised Doosan dealer in Bergen, Passaic, Morris and Sussex counties in New Jersey and Rockland and Orange counties in New York.

In today's economy, IHS employs 50, has tightened its belt and pursued parts, rental and service opportunities. "Due to the strength in our employees and clientele, we have not laid off anyone due to the economy or instituted any cut back in salaries or working days or hours," Selman says. "We have not changed our business model, but we have adjusted to the economy to operate much more efficiently within the company frameset."