TAMPA—(November 14, 2025) Southern States Toyotalift (SST) has once again been recognized for its excellence in the material handling industry, receiving the prestigious Most Valuable Partner (MVP) award for its outstanding achievements in 2025. This marks the fifth consecutive year that SST has earned this honor.
The MVP award honors organizations that show strong performance and make significant contributions in the material handling industry. Each year, fewer than 10% of Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association (MHEDA) member companies receive this award. SST’s ongoing recognition reflects its consistent commitment to high standards and overall excellence.The Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association was established on October 10, 1954, in the Morrison Hotel in Chicago. Led by a team of volunteer directors, they have since grown into a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization representing over 500 member businesses and, by extension, thousands of career material handling professionals across North America.
The organization is guided by its mission "to enhance each member's success through superior programming in the area of benchmarking, networking, and education." To that end, they created the Most Valuable Partner award over a decade ago to recognize outstanding member distributors' continued commitment to the industry and their customers.
The award recognizes excellence in the areas of:
As such, MHEDA requires eligible organizations to submit documentation attesting to their superior performance. This documentation includes letters of recommendation from the distributor's customers and suppliers.
Entrants must also demonstrate their commitment to continuing education with enrollment in MHEDA's Learning Management System and Communications programs. They must also provide evidence of merit in industry advocacy, customer service and safety, business networking, and industry best practices.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, awardees must participate in MHEDA's Give Back program by performing company-wide acts of community service.
Receiving the MVP award for a fifth consecutive year is a testament to SST’s ongoing dedication to excellence. “The MVP is a prestigious honor within the material handling industry, recognizing excellence across a broad range of accomplishments beyond financial performance,” said Nate Storey, CEO & President of Storage Solutions, Inc. and 2025 MHEDA Chairman. “Receiving this award reflects Southern States Toyotalift’s exceptional leadership, commitment to industry best practices, active community engagement, and focus on continuous improvement. This recognition not only strengthens the company’s reputation within the industry but also fosters trust and pride among its customers and community, solidifying its role as an industry leader.”
For over 65 years, MHEDA has supported the material handling industry, helping companies like SST achieve operational excellence while giving back to their communities. SST’s continued MVP recognition reflects its unwavering dedication to both its partners and the industry as a whole.
Founded in 1952, Southern States Toyotalift has spent the last 73 years improving its support of the end-user. This customer-centric mindset eventually evolved into the solutions-focused business model they exemplify today. By focusing on solutions rather than sales, they can provide an exceptionally high standard of customer service. This industry-leading support includes over 250 forklift technicians, guaranteed uptime with their service plans, a rental fleet with over 900 forklifts, safety training programs, and a wide range of warehouse automation and intralogistics solutions.
However, SST’s focus on customer service excellence is only one aspect of their award-winning business. They also provide ongoing community support through a diverse range of programs. These include blood donation drives every other month, supply drives for Joshua House, food and toy drives, and the Skillbridge program. The Skillbridge program provides work experience and training opportunities for service members prior to release from active duty.
If you would like to learn more about Southern States Toyotalift and their solutions, reach out online or visit one of their locations throughout Georgia and Florida.
GEORGIA: Albany, Macon, Midland, ValdostaFLORIDA: Jacksonville, Ocala, Orlando, Lakeland, Tampa, Winter Haven
Further Reading
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