COLUMBUS, Ind. – Indiana Governor Eric J. Holcomb today joined executives from Toyota Material Handling, a North American leader in material handling solutions, and other state and local officials in Columbus to break ground on the company’s new 295,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. The nearly $100 million facility, which will expand the company’s Columbus headquarters campus, will specialize in electric forklift production.
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“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 Gov. Eric Holcomb, who attended the groundbreaking event on Wednesday. “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.”
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This expansion, which will be supported by the creation of up to 85 new jobs by the end of 2026, marks another milestone in Toyota’s growth and longstanding partnership with the state of Indiana, highlighting the organization’s commitment to innovation and sustainability.
“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 & CEO of Toyota Material Handling North America and Senior Executive Officer for Toyota Industries Corporation (TICO). “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.”
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“We are excited about this significant strategic expansion to our Columbus campus,” said Tony Miller, Toyota Material Handling Senior Vice President for 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.”
Including today’s announcement, Toyota Material Handling has completed more than 15 total expansions in 34 years, with over $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 facility it opened in 1990.
Based on the company’s job creation and training plans, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation committed an investment in Toyota Material Handling of up to $1.1 million in conditional tax credits and up to $200,000 in training grants. These incentives are performance-based, meaning the company is eligible to claim state benefits once Hoosiers are hired and trained. The city of Columbus offered additional incentives.
