GREENVILLE, N.C. — Hyster Co., a lift truck designer and manufacturer, is celebrating its 80th birthday this year. The company was born when Willamette Iron & Steel merged with two other companies in 1929 to form a new company named Willamette Ersted. The name was eventually changed to Hyster Co., a reference to laborers shouting “hoist ‘er” when a load was ready to be lifted.