Thompson & Johnson is expanding.

Forklift dealer Thompson & Johnson Equipment Co Inc (TJ) has moved 11.5 miles (18.4 km) to a larger facility in the Binghamton, New York. The newly renovated location in the town of Kirkwood occupies 10,200 square feet (918 sqm) in comparison with TJ's previous leased site with 6,500 square feet (585 sqm) in the hamlet of Endwell.

TJ-affiliate Carejon Realty LLC acquired the building for USD305,000 on 15 March. The dearlship gains a geographic advantage in the regional market and obtains high-profile visibility with frontage along heavily travelled Interstate Highway 81, says David Schneckenburger, TJ owner and president.

East Syracuse, New York-based TJ has operated in the Binghamton market for more than five decades and opened the Endwell facility in 1968. The site has eight employees including five technicians and will hold customer open houses on 25-26 June.

TJ distributes forklifts from Toyota, Crown, Clark, Hoist, Drexel and Sellick. For the construction equipment segment, TJ represents Bobcat including some new retail-oriented models. TJ also sells industrial batteries and industrial floor cleaners.

Within New York State, TJ has facilities in the Elmira and Albany markets in addition to those in the Syracuse and Binghamton areas. TJ's service area includes 34 counties in New York State, six in Vermont, three in Pennsylvania and one in Massachusetts.

For all locations, TJ employs 115 staff including 51 technicians, a full-time operator trainer and a full-time technical trainer.

TJ had 2009 sales of about USD26 million, and Schneckenburger projects growth during 2010. For sales, "we will end up 5% higher than last year and be more profitable", he says.

Asked about the economy, Schneckenburger notes that the food and beverage segments are buying equipment, but the core manufacturing market "is not buying" at this time.

Lawrence (Tommy) Thompson and George Johnson founded the materials handling business in Syracuse in 1954.