Updated July 2026

A terminal is a machine system: boxes come off the water, stack in the yard, and leave by truck, rail, or barge, and every move in between belongs to a lift truck. Reach stackers, loaded and empty container handlers, heavy forklifts, terminal tractors, and material handlers each own a piece of that flow. This guide covers what each class does, the attachments that adapt them, and what terminal duty does to the machines.

Bulk Equipment Corp is an 80 year old, brand-independent heavy equipment uptime partner headquartered in Michigan City, Indiana, with a shop in Memphis, Tennessee. Bulk sells, rents, rebuilds, and services the container handling and cargo equipment ports and terminals run, including Konecranes lift trucks and Sennebogen material handlers, and services any brand on the terminal.

What We DoWhat Does Bulk Actually Do at a Terminal?

Real machines on real waterfront duty. This is what we sell, rent, rebuild, and service for ports and terminals.

Reach Stackers

The most versatile machine in the yard

Reach stackers work 10 to 46 tons under the spreader, and we spec, sell, rent, and rebuild them for container, breakbulk, and industrial duty.

Dig into reach stackers

Loaded Container Handlers

Full boxes, 26 to 45 tons

Purpose-built handlers stack loaded containers at cycle speeds reach stackers cannot match in a dedicated stack.

Dig into loaded handlers

Empty Container Handlers

Empties up to 8 high

Single and double-box empty handlers in the 8 to 11 ton class keep the empty stacks turning.

Dig into empty handlers

Terminal + RoRo Tractors

Chassis moves and vessel ramps

Yard spotters shuttle chassis all shift, and heavy 4×4 MAFI RoRo tractors pull loaded roll trailers on and off vessels.

Dig into terminal tractors

Material Handlers

Bulk cargo and scrap export

Port material handlers move bulk, breakbulk, and export scrap. We are an authorized Sennebogen service provider.

Dig into Sennebogen handlers

Field Service

Machine down on the quay? We are already rolling.

Brand-independent techs from four regional hotlines service any OEM on the terminal, with rebuilds and fabrication behind them.

See field service

OwnershipFour Ways to Work With Us, Built for What You Need

There is more than one way to put heavy iron to work, and the right one depends on your utilization, your budget, and how much downtime risk you want to own. These are the four.

ProofProof From the Field

A reach stacker working in severe dust was eating air filters until a customized filter assembly cut blowouts to once a week. The full case study covers the engineering and the result.

AnswersFrequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a reach stacker and a container handler?

A reach stacker lifts on a telescopic boom, which lets it work over obstacles and handle industrial loads with the right attachment, while a container handler lifts on a mast and is purpose-built for stacking boxes. Yards with mixed work usually run reach stackers, and high-volume container stacks favor handlers.

How high can container handlers stack?

Empty container handlers stack up to 8 empties high depending on model and box weight, in the 8 to 11 ton capacity class. Loaded handlers stack fewer boxes because full containers run to 30-plus tons each. The empty container handler guide covers models and stacking specs.

What is a RoRo tractor?

A RoRo tractor is a heavy 4×4 terminal tractor built to pull loaded roll trailers up and down vessel ramps, a different class from the yard spotters that shuttle chassis. The terminal tractor guide covers both classes and the MAFI trailer system.

How much does a reach stacker or container handler cost?

Cost depends on class, capacity, and configuration. The reach stacker guide and the container handler guides publish what drives cost in each class.

Who services container handling equipment of mixed brands?

Bulk services any OEM’s terminal equipment with brand-independent field techs dispatched from regional hotlines, backed by shops in Michigan City, Indiana and Memphis, Tennessee. That covers maintenance programs, repairs, rebuilds, and parts.

Browse all industries, or see the Rail & Intermodal and Logistics & Distribution guides.

Talk to UsTell Us Your Terminal. We Spec What Fits.

We sell, rent, rebuild, and service the machines ports and terminals run, so the recommendation you get is based on your loads and duty cycle, not our inventory. Send your application below and a member of our team follows up with real options to buy, rent, or run it as a monthly uptime package.