June 2, 2024
Toyota Material Handling, Columbus, Ind., broke ground on an expansion to its headquarters on May 30, 2024. The company is investing nearly $100 million in a new, 295,000-sq.-ft. manufacturing facility dedicated to producing electric products.
“Electric forklifts make up 65 percent of the North American market and this trend towards electrification in the material handling industry will continue to grow,” said Brett Wood, president and CEO of Toyota Material Handling North America and senior executive officer for Toyota Industries Corporation (TICO). “We hope this announcement shows our industry-leading dealer network and our customers that we are a proactive company, not a reactive one. We do not just plan for next week or next year — we’re preparing for the next decade, and this new initiative perfectly represents our commitment to that strategy. This investment is one of the largest in our history and signifies TICO’s commitment to the North American market, the state of Indiana, the city of Columbus, and most importantly, our dealers and our customers.”
Including the newest project, Toyota has completed more than 15 total expansions in 34 years, with more than $400 million in total investments. When the new factory is complete, Toyota’s Columbus footprint will grow to nearly 1.8 million sq. ft. — more than six times larger than the 280,000-sq.-ft. facility it opened in 1990.
