Toyota Marks Production of 250,000th Lift Truck
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COLUMBUS, Ind. (May 24, 2006) - 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 three-wheeled electric 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."
About Toyota Material Handling, U.S.A., Inc.
Toyota Material Handling, U.S.A., Inc., (TMHU), the number one selling lift truck supplier in the U.S. since 2002, is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., and offers a full line of high-quality lift trucks sold under the Toyota brand. Built on a reputation for excellence, Toyota is known for its quality, reliability and durability. Quality is the hallmark of Toyota's world-renowned Toyota Production System practiced at all Toyota manufacturing facilities, including Toyota Industrial Equipment Manufacturing (TIEM) in Columbus, Ind. Most of the Toyota lift trucks sold in the United States are manufactured at TIEM.
Toyota's commitment to excellence in customer service extends nationwide. Sixty-nine authorized Toyota Industrial Equipment dealers, with a total of 184 dealership locations throughout the United States, offer comprehensive customer service support, including one-stop shopping for both new and Certified Used lift trucks, parts, service and financing. For more information on TMHU, please visit www.toyotaforklift.com or call 1-800-226-0009.
Contact: Samantha Horton
Toyota Material Handling, U.S.A.
949-223-7744
Samantha.Horton@tmhu.toyota-industries.com
Christine Welch
RiechesBaird PR
714-573-0899, ext. 25
christine@riechesbaird.com
