In the United States, Toyota Materials Handling inc., or TMHU, has been the best selling lift truck supplier since 1992. This business has been headquartered out of Irvine, California for well over 40 years, providing a wide-ranging line of quality lift trucks. With a great reputation of resilience and reliability, Toyota lift trucks have thrived in the competitive materials handling market. Quality is the foundation of Toyota’s notorious Toyota Production System practiced at all manufacturing facilities, including TIEM, which is stands for Toyota Industrial Equipment Manufacturing, situated in Columbus, Indiana. The majority of the Toyota lift trucks sold in the U.S. are manufactured here.
Every one of Toyota's manufacturing facilities within Canada and the U.S. comply with the International Organization for Standardization or ISO 14001 standard. The Columbus TIEM plant has been honored on many occasions for its dedication to continuous improvement and its environmentally friendly systems. It is the first and only maker to offer EPA and CARB-certified Compressed Natural Gas powered lift trucks on the market. To illustrate, the Toyota 8-Series IC lift trucks emit 70 percent less smog forming emissions than the existing federal EPA standards and have complied with California’s strict emission standards and policies.
TMHU, U.S.A.- Leading the Industry
The president of Toyota Material Handling, U.S.A., Brett Wood feels that TMHU's success comes from its commitment to create high quality lift vehicles while offering exceptional client support and service. “We must be able to learn and predict the needs of our customers,” said Brett Wood. “As a leader, our success also depends on our ability to address our customers’ operational, safety and environmental cost issues.” TMHU’s parent company, Toyota Industries Corporation, also called TICO, is listed in Fortune Magazine as the world’s biggest lift truck provider and is among the magazines prominent World’s Most Admired Companies.
New Meaning to Environmental Accountability
Toyota's parent company, Toyota Industries Corporation, has imparted an exceptional corporate philosophy towards environmental management within Toyota. Toyota's rich history of environmental protection whilst retaining economic viability can not be matched by other organizations and undoubtedly no other materials handling maker can yet rival Toyota. Environmental accountability is a key aspect of corporate decision making at Toyota and they are proud to be the first and only maker to offer UL-listed, EPA- and CARB-certified Compressed Natural Gas powered lift trucks. Yet one more reason they remain a leader within the industry.
In 2006, Toyota introduced the 8-Series line. The 8-Series signifies both Toyota’s innovation and leadership in the industry. It features an exclusive emission system that surpasses Federal EPA emission standards, and also meets California’s more intricate 2010 emission standards. The end creation is a lift truck that produces 70% less smog forming emissions than the current Federal standards allow.
Also starting in 2006, jointly with the Arbor Day Foundation, Toyota added to its dedication to the environment. To this day more than 58,000 trees have been embedded in the ground throughout state forests and local parks that were damaged by fires and other environmental causes. 10,500 seedlings have also been spread through Toyota Industrial Equipment’s system of dealers to non-profit organizations and local customers to help sustain communities all over the United States
Toyota’s lift trucks provide improved efficiency, visibility, ergonomics and durability, and most importantly, the industry’s leading safety technology. The company’s System of Active Stability, also called “SAS”, helps decrease the risk of accidents and accidental injuries, and increasing productivity levels while minimizing the potential for product and equipment breakage.
System Active Stability senses numerous factors that may lead to lateral volatility and possible lateral overturn. When one of those factors are detected, SAS immediately engages the Swing Lock Cylinder to steady the rear axle. This adjusts the lift truck’s stability trajectory from triangular in shape to rectangular, offering a major increase in stability which substantially reduces the probability of an accident from a lateral overturn. The Active Mast Function Controller or the Active Control Rear Stabilizer also aids to avoid injuries or accidents while adding strength.
SAS was initially released to the market on the 7-Series internal combustion models in 1999 and subsequently catapulted Toyota into the industry leader for safety. Ever since then, SAS has been built-in to nearly all of Toyota’s internal combustion products. It is standard gear on the new 8-Series. There are more than 100,000 SAS-equipped lift trucks in operation, exceeding 450 million hours combined. The increased population of SAS-equipped trucks in the field, along with mandatory worker training, overturn fatalities across all brands have decreased by 13.6% since 1999. Furthermore, there has been an overall 35.5% decrease in industry wide collisions, loss of control, falls and overturn from a lift vehicle for the same period.
Toyota's measure of excellence reaches far beyond its technological achievements. The company maintains an extensive Operator Safety Training program to help purchasers meet OSHA standard 1910.178. Training programs, video lessons and an assortment of materials, covering a broad scope of subjects—from personal safety, to OSHA policies, to surface and load situations, are accessible through the dealer network.
Ever since the transaction of its first lift vehicle in the U.S. to the fabrication of its 350,000th lift truck produced in 2009 at Toyota Industrial Equipment Manufacturing, TMHU has continued a solid presence in the U.S. This reality is demonstrated by the statistic that 99% of Toyota lift trucks sold in America today are manufactured in the United States.
TMHU is situated in Columbus Indiana and houses nearly 1 million square feet of production facilities over 126 acres of property. Facilities include a National Customer Center, as well as manufacturing operations and distribution centers for equipment and service parts, with the total commitment exceeding $113 million dollars.
The contemporary NCC was designed to operate for TMHU clients and sellers. The facility includes a 360-degree display room, a presentation theater complete with stadium seating for 32, an area for live product demonstrations with seating capability for 120; a presentation theater; Toyota’s Hall of Fame showcasing Toyota’s history since the birth of its founder, Sakichi Toyoda, in 1867, and lastly a instruction center.
TMHU has 68 authorized industrial equipment dealers, along with 189 dealership locations all through the United States, offering the most comprehensive and inclusive customer support and customer service in the industry. The company’s new and Certified Used lift trucks, service, parts, and financing features make Toyota dealerships a one-stop shop to guarantee overall customer satisfaction.
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