TOYOTA INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT MFG., INC. NAMED COMPANY OF THE YEAR BY THE COLUMBUS AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

February 21st, 2012 - Toyota, maker of the number one selling lift truck in North America, today announced its Columbus, Ind., manufacturing plant, Toyota Industrial Equipment Mfg., Inc. (TIEM), was recognized as “Company of the Year” by the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce. TIEM was presented the award at the chamber’s 103rd annual meeting on Feb. 2, 2012.

“Toyota is very honored by this recognition,” said Toshiya Yamagishi, president of TIEM. “As a company, we are committed to enhancing our associates’ quality of life and contributing to the overall success of our community.”

Each year, the chamber bestows a number of awards of distinction in order to foster a culture of excellence. These awards recognize extraordinary contributions from the business community that reflect positively on the quality and expertise of the Columbus, Ind., community. TIEM was selected as the “Company of the Year” because of distinctive accomplishments that impacted associates, the community and the marketplace.

The Chamber recognized TIEM’s accomplishments, which include:

• The establishment of a recovery plan soon after Japan’s 2011 earthquake and tsunami that adjusted work schedules and allowed associates to continue 40-hour work weeks.
• TIEM’s zero-landfill facility designation achieved by shifting to a waste-to-energy facility and implementing recycling programs.
• The addition of new risk assessment training, which resulted in a 65 percent reduction in safety incidents.
• The integration of a Total Plant Maintenance Program that reduced emergency repairs to just 11 percent of overall maintenance performed in 2009 and enabled the cost-per-hour of downtime to be reduced by 10 percent in the same period.

About Toyota Industrial Equipment, Mfg., Inc. (TIEM)

TIEM designs, manufactures and supplies Toyota lift trucks and parts associated with Toyota lift trucks and tow tractors, and assembles motor vehicle parts and accessories. Quality is the hallmark of the Toyota Production System practiced at all Toyota manufacturing facilities, including TIEM. The facility, named a 2011 North American Best Plant by IndustryWeek magazine, is a member of the National Safety Council, complies with the ISO 14001 standard from the International Organization for Standardization and has produced more than 400,000 Toyota lift trucks since its opening in 1990.

About Toyota Material Handling, U.S.A., Inc. (TMHU)

Celebrating 45 years of established operations, Irvine, Calif.-based TMHU is the supplier for the No. 1 selling lift truck in North America since 2002. In addition to the full line of high-quality lift trucks sold under the Toyota brand, the company’s extended industrial equipment solutions include Automated Guided Vehicles and tow tractors.

Toyota's commitment to excellence in customer service extends throughout the U.S. and Canada. With more than 70 authorized Toyota Industrial Equipment dealers and more than 220 dealership locations throughout North America, Toyota dealers offer comprehensive customer service and support, including one-stop shopping for both new and used lift trucks, rentals, parts and service, fleet servicing and financing. For more information on TMHU, please visit www.toyotaforklift.com, www.facebook.com/ToyotaForklift or twitter.com/ToyotaForklift or call 1-800-226-0009.