50 Years of Proud Service

Bobcat Sightings in Northern Ontario Equipment World became an Authorized Bobcat Dealer in late 2016, servicing the Thunder Bay and Algoma districts. Between the two territories, Equipment World covers servicing needs from Upsala to Elliot Lake and everything in between. Bobcat Equipment was in high demand once the former local dealer had closed shop a couple years earlier after being the dealer in the area for over 30 years. It had come full circle, in fact, when Equipment World’s original founder, Peter Knudsen, had worked for and sold Bobcat for the former dealer in the mid 60s.

“We had reached out to Bobcat about 6 years prior to inquire about taking on the brand,” says Jon Soares, Bobcat Sales Manager. “At the time, they were not seriously looking for another dealership for the district. Once we had reached out again a few years later, they were ready to explore expansion. They recognized high demand for the Bobcat equipment in the Thunder Bay District and there was currently no dealership to fill this demand. Thus, Bobcat of Thunder Bay was born.”

Bobcat is one of the larger names in the world of skid steers and compact equipment. “The final decision of pursuing Bobcat was really a no-brainer for us, when dealing with a brand of that magnitude.

Equipment World started out with 10 pieces in the first year they had the Bobcat line to over 120 in a total of 6 years. “The tractor line has been a great addition to Equipment World’s Bobcat line” says Soares. “It has enabled us to connect with a completely different market sector we hadn’t had much experience with before. Given the sheer volume of homeowners with acreage out there and customers with hobby farms, the range of customers that can benefit from the tractor line is truly endless.”

This year while our crew attended the ConEXPO show in Nevada, L-Ion electric & autonomous equipment was the focus for Bobcat. “The refined design and technology on these new machines are second to none. Gone are the days when you would sit in a track loader, and it felt like you were in an awkward tank. You now feel like you’re in a high-end automobile and can operate all day every day. I’m excited to see what the future brings for the Bobcat line and the new technologies to come.” -Jon Soares

The Future is Bright

What do the next 50 years hold for Equipment World and the material handling industry? Embracing new technologies will be a requirement to evolve and we’ve already seen a massive shift from traditional machinery and operation to fully electric compact construction equipment and high voltage material handling equipment. This shift is already a reality that requires continuous training and support for our sales, parts, and service teams as well as substantial investment from the company.

Some things will see rapid change while others will remain the same. Showing up to work with drive, passion, and the willingness to make something great happen every day are the driving factors of our employees and the glue of our company’s Circle of Commitment; committing to respect, responsibility, integrity and innovation between employees, customers, suppliers, and communities.

Thank you to all involved in our past, present, and future success, here’s to another 50 years!

Equipment World

Great Value, Great Service.