Pictured, from left: Brett Wood, Eric Holcomb, Bill Finerty, Tony Miller.
Toyota Material Handling has announced a significant expansion to its Columbus, Ind., headquarters during a groundbreaking ceremony this week.
The company – which first began building forklifts in Columbus in 1990 – is investing nearly $100 million for a new 295,000-square-foot manufacturing facility dedicated to producing electric products. This expansion marks another milestone in Toyota’s growth as a company and its longstanding partnership with the state of Indiana, and highlights the organization’s commitment to innovation, sustainability, and solving customer problems.
“We are excited about this significant strategic expansion to our Columbus campus,” said Tony Miller, Toyota Material Handling senior vice president of engineering, operations & strategic planning. “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.”
The project will allow Toyota Material Handling to add 85 new jobs by the start of production in June 2026.
“Indiana has made it a strategic priority to cultivate the economy of the future, and we continue to see impact of our work thanks to the partnership of great companies like Toyota,” said Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb, who attended the groundbreaking event. “We’re so grateful to see Toyota continuing to invest heavily in southern Indiana. Toyota’s been a cherished partner and career cultivator to the state for the last 35 years, and we look forward to strengthening our bond even more in the decades to come in and around the Columbus region. Today’s remarkable announcement shows yet again just how important our state’s business friendly environment – focus on long-term success and access to a skilled workforce – is to companies seeking to expand and grow far into the future.”
The decision to invest an additional $100 million in a new factory underscores Toyota Material Handling's dedication to advancing sustainable technologies and meeting the evolving needs of its customers. The facility will allow Toyota to leverage cutting-edge manufacturing processes to produce electric products much more quickly than it can today, while meeting the high standard of quality customers expect from Toyota.
“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 Corp. “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.”
This is far from the first time Toyota Material Handling has reinvested in its North American headquarters.
Since first establishing its presence in Columbus in 1990, Toyota has been a cornerstone of the local community and an integral part of Indiana’s manufacturing landscape. At the time, Toyota Material Handling was split into two separate companies.
The sales and marketing arm of the company – formerly Toyota Material Handling U.S.A. – was headquartered in Irvine, Calif., from 2002 until 2012, when it relocated to Columbus as part of a $4.6 million expansion.
Since first establishing its presence in Columbus in 1990, Toyota has been a cornerstone of the local community and an integral part of Indiana’s manufacturing landscape. At the time, Toyota Material Handling was split into two separate companies.
The sales and marketing arm of the company – formerly Toyota Material Handling U.S.A. – was headquartered in Irvine, Calif., from 2002 until 2012, when it relocated to Columbus as part of a $4.6 million expansion.
Building in Indiana
In 2015, Toyota completed a $16 million expansion to add more than 50,000 square feet to its facility, including a two-story office building, a new cafeteria, storm shelter and locker rooms.
In 2017, the company opened a state-of-the-art wellness center – the Toyota Recreational Complex -- to provide its employees with more easily accessible health and wellness opportunities right on the Toyota campus. The 35,000 square-foot facility features two basketball courts, an indoor track, an exercise room, a recreation room, and more. The T+Rex facility offers all of the amenities of a modern fitness center including a yoga room, free weights, treadmills and other fitness equipment. It also includes a medical center to provide primary health care, wellness coaching, physical therapy and a pharmacy at no cost to Toyota associates and their families.
Later in 2017, Toyota invested an additional $17.5 million to add more than 150,000 square feet to improve internal and external logistics at the facility by consolidating external warehouses to internal storage and distribution on site. The same year, the company also invested $7.3 million to acquire the neighboring property and expand its footprint by 200,000 square feet. The acquisition allowed the company to relocate and renovate its aftermarket parts distribution center to provide customers with the parts they need more quickly.
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 square feet – more than six times larger than the 280,000 square-foot facility it opened in 1990.
“I’m very pleased to see Toyota continue to grow in the Columbus community,” said Columbus Mayor Mary Ferdon. “Beginning in 1990 when Toyota built their initial plant in Columbus, we’ve seen the impact the company has had on the area through the high-quality careers they provide, and through the work they’ve done for Columbus and Bartholomew County. Toyota is a wonderful community partner providing financial resources and volunteers to organizations throughout the community. We look forward to this expansion and our continued relationship and partnership with Toyota as we build a prosperous community for all.”
Learn more about Toyota, its products, and the company’s growth in Indiana at ToyotaForklift.com.
