Toyota Material Handling (TMH), alongside state and local officials, broke ground on an almost $100 million facility for electric forklift production. By the end of 2026, the factory is expected to create up to 85 new jobs.
“Electric forklifts make up 65% 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.
The 295,000-square-foot factory will be added to the company’s Columbus, Indiana, headquarters campus, increasing the total footprint to nearly 1.8 million square-feet.
“At Toyota, we will always be driven by what is best for our customers. Electric products are more popular than ever, and we are committed to doing whatever it takes to keep up with increased demand. This new factory will allow us to deliver those electric units to customers faster than we can today,” says Tony Miller, TMH senior vice president for engineering, operations and strategic planning.
The Indiana Economic Development Corp. has committed performance-based investments in TMH of up to $200,000 in training grants and up to $1.1 million in conditional tax credits.
“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,” says Wood.
