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Posted On: 06/07/2006

Toyota marks production of 250,000th lift truck

PlantServices.com

Toyota celebrated the production of its 250,000th lift truck today at the Toyota Industrial Equipment Manufacturing (TIEM) plant in Columbus, Ind.  Toyota is the leading supplier of lift trucks in the United States and worldwide. The majority of lift trucks sold in the United States by Toyota Material Handling, U.S.A., Inc. (TMHU) are manufactured at the Columbus facility.

Toyota executives including Sonny Toyoda, president of TIEM; Tatsuo Matsuura, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Toyota Material Handling Group; Shankar Basu, president and CEO of TMHU, along with several TIEM and TMHU associates participated in the ceremony.  Toyota dealer Al Rawson, president of Atlas Toyota Material Handling and chairman of Toyota’s National Dealer Advisory Council, was presented with the 250,000th lift truck, a four-wheeled internal combustion cushion tire model. 

The first lift truck rolled off the line at the Columbus facility in 1990. Since then, the plant has grown six-fold from its initial employment to nearly 800 TIEM associates, increased production more than 10-fold and tripled in physical size. 

“Toyota remains committed to serving the North American market,” said Shankar Basu, TMHU president and CEO.  “We thank our customers, dealers and associates who have helped Toyota achieve this important milestone. We look forward to working together to celebrate the 500,000th lift truck.”