OUR STORY
The Story Behind K-Line: Honoring Eugene Knoploh
Every piece of K-Line equipment carries with it the spirit of a man who understood that the best machines are the ones you can count on, day after day, year after year. That man was Eugene Knoploh—Grandpa Gene to those who knew him—and his story is the foundation upon which K-Line is built.
An All-American Beginning
Born in 1940 in rural northeast Iowa near Sumner, Eugene Knoploh was the embodiment of small-town America. He excelled at baseball and football, the kind of all-American kid who seemed destined for great things. College beckoned, but like so many young men of his generation, his plans were interrupted by the draft. Gene served his country with quiet dignity, spending time stationed in Germany before returning to the rolling hills of northeast Iowa.
What happened next defines the man Grandpa Gene would become: he came home to Sumner, and he never left again.
Roots That Run Deep
Some might call it settling. Grandpa called it home. For the rest of his life, he became deeply entwined in the fabric of his community in ways both seen and unseen. He wore many hats—banker, farmer, landlord, volunteer ambulance driver. He championed local nonprofits and was instrumental in saving the old high school building, transforming it into a museum that preserved the town's history for future generations.
But perhaps nowhere was Grandpa Gene’s character more evident than in his later years as a school bus driver. Every morning and afternoon, he'd greet those kids with genuine delight, watching them grow from kindergarteners to high schoolers. He wasn't a man of many words, but his actions—showing up day after day, caring about these young lives—spoke volumes about who he was.
A Simple Philosophy for Complex Times
Grandpa Gene's worldview was refreshingly straightforward: work hard, do good work, and be a good person. What more is there to ask? He lived this philosophy every single day, whether he was helping a neighbor, fixing a piece of equipment, or simply showing up when his community needed him.
He barely had an email address—technology for technology's sake held no appeal for him. But hand him a wrench and point him toward a broken machine, and he'd have it going again in no time or know exactly who to call in town to fix it. Grandpa Gene understood that the best tools, like the best people, are reliable, honest, and built to last.
The K-Line Connection
When we started developing K-Line equipment, we kept coming back to Grandpa Gene's approach. In an industry racing toward ever-more-complex solutions, we asked ourselves: what would Grandpa think of this? Would he be able to understand it, maintain it, and fix it himself?
K-Line equipment is built on Grandpa's principles. We prioritize reliability over flashy features. We choose simplicity over unnecessary complexity. We believe that good equipment, like good people, should be dependable, honest, and built for the long haul.
Every K-Line machine—whether it's a K-66 Forklift or a K-72 Telehandler—carries forward Grandpa Gene's legacy. These aren't just pieces of equipment; they're tools for people who share his values. Farmers and operators who understand that the best technology is the kind that doesn't get in the way of getting work done.
Keeping it Simple
A Legacy Worth Honoring
Gene Knoploh never sought recognition for his contributions to his community, his family, or his work. He simply showed up, did what needed to be done, and did it well. He fixed what was broken, helped where he was needed, and lived with integrity every day.
That's the standard K-Line equipment is held to. Not because it's good marketing, but because it's the right way to do business. In a world that often mistakes complexity for quality and noise for value, K-Line takes a different approach—Grandpa’s approach.
We build equipment that's made to work, made to last, and made simple enough that you can take care of it yourself – if you want to. Because at the end of the day, that's what Grandpa would have wanted: honest equipment for honest work, built by people who understand that your livelihood depends on machines you can count on.
Grandpa Gene may never have imagined that his grandchild would one day build a business around his values, but his influence runs through every decision we make at K-Line.
From our commitment to simplicity to our focus on repairability, from our Iowa roots to our understanding that equipment should serve the operator, not the other way around.
Every time you see the K-Line name, remember that the best solutions are often the simplest ones. Remember that good work speaks for itself. And remember that in a world full of complexity, sometimes the most revolutionary thing you can do is keep it simple.
Because at K-Line, we believe—just like Grandpa Gene did—that if you work hard, do good work, and build things that last, what more is there to ask?
OUR TEAM
Michael Johnson
Chief Executive Officer
Emily Davis
Chief Operations Officer
David Smith
Chief Technology Officer
