The JLG Story

John L. Grove retired after spending many years working with his brother to build their crane manufacturing company into an industry leader. He and his wife Cora set out on a cross-country trip in their RV. From that fateful trip emerged JLG Industries, Inc. — the world’s leading manufacturer of mobile aerial work platforms and specialized material handling equipment.  

While on the trip, John spent a lot of time talking to old business associates who the Groves would stop to visit along the way. Through these conversations, and by a tragic event — two workers being electrocuted on scaffolding while the Groves were at the Hoover Dam — John began to see a large untapped market for a product that could safely and quickly put people in the air to perform construction and maintenance functions.

When they returned from the trip, John got down to business. He formed a partnership with two close friends and bought a small metal fabrication business in McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania. With a crew of 20 workers, they built and sold the first JLG aerial work platform in 1970. Many of the basic design elements of that original lift are still being incorporated into our products today.

We’ve come a long way since John L. Grove drove back into town from his cross-country trip — and a long way since our first aerial work platform rolled into the marketplace. Today, we continue to expand into other global markets and develop innovative products to help our customers be more productive and work more safely.