Toyota Material Handling North America

T oyota Material Handling North America (TMHNA) has opened a new manufacturing facility at the company’s Columbus, Indiana, campus that is dedicated to producing electric forklifts for both the Toyota and Raymond brands. 9 million square feet. While the Columbus campus currently has more than 2,100 employees, the new factory brings an additional 140 jobs. At $100 million, the new factory is the largest investment the company has made to increase its overall manufacturing footprint. With this strategic move, TMHNA is positioned to meet the forecasted market demand for electric forklifts as the market grows over the next five years and beyond.

“In 2023, 66% of all lift trucks sold in North America were electric powered, and currently the market is approximately 70% electric. The electric forklift demand is likely to reach 80% before 2035, and our new factory is poised to address this electrification trend,” said TMHNA President & CEO Brett Wood. “The factory is symbolic of our continued ambition to lead the material handling industry with forward-thinking strategic initiatives. ” TMHNA was joined the ribbon cutting ceremony by Toyota Industries Corporation (TICO) leadership, customers, dealers, suppliers, as well as federal, state, and city officials.

TICO President Koichi Ito stated that the 100-year-old innovative spirit of the broader Toyota Industries Group was clearly evident in the new Toyota factory on the Columbus campus. Governor Mike Braun praised TMHNA’s efforts in making Indiana a leader in advanced manufacturing. Columbus Mayor Mary Ferdon issued a proclamation, acknowledging the long-standing positive impact TMHNA has had on the city. Rep. Erin Houchin seconded TMHNA’s impactful role in the community. Most ceremonial remarks commented on the company’s success with its future-forward strategy, as exemplified by the fact that it manufactures more than 1 in every 3 forklifts sold in North America.

According to the company, collaboration between Toyota Material Handling North America subsidiaries, The Raymond Corporation and Toyota Material Handling, Inc. has taken the forefront at this new facility. The factory’s initial product, the electric Class 1 Stand-Up Counterbalanced Forklift, has an updated design and was produced at the TMHNA factory in Greene, NY until recently. The shift in production location allows the Greene factory to focus on increasingly important products such as reach trucks, order pickers, and automation, while the new factory in Columbus provides increased capacity for counterbalance forklift production.

“This facility is the result of thinking beyond today.