Industrial Vehicles and Equipment
Overview
Toyota's industrial vehicle and equipment business started in March 1956 with lift truck production and sales in Japan. Toyota Motor Co., Ltd. supplied engines, Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, Ltd. (now Toyota Industries Corporation) manufactured the vehicles, and Toyota Motor Sales Co., Ltd. sold them.
As Japan entered a period of rapid economic growth in the 1960s, lift trucks rapidly spread as an effective means of streamlining loading and unloading operations, and logistics systems based on loading and unloading by lift trucks were widely adopted. Toyota actively developed products in anticipation of customer needs including Japan's first small-sized special vehicle that can be operated with an ordinary driver's license and various attachments. Today, the product lineup ranges from 0.5-ton to 43-ton capacity vehicles. In 1986, Toyota entered the logistics systems business, and sales in business areas other than lift trucks have increased steadily.
Toyoda Automatic Loom Works completed the Takahama Plant as a special-purpose lift truck plant in 1970. Overseas, a technical support agreement was signed with France-based Manitou and knock down production began in 1987. Toyota Industrial Equipment Mfg., Inc. (TIEM) was established in the United States in 1988 as production structures were steadily improved in Japan and other countries. Cumulative lift truck production in Japan reached 500,000 vehicles in 1985, and global cumulative lift truck production reached one million vehicles in August 1995.
Since the 1960 establishment of Chubu Toyota Lift Co., Ltd., Toyota's first specialty lift truck dealer, sales and after-sales service systems in Japan have been steadily developed. By the end of 2011, the nationwide sales network included 40 companies with 310 outlets, and an extensive after-sales service network was also in place. In October 1998, dealers that sell Toyota industrial vehicles and equipment changed their names to 'Toyota L&F' (logistics and forklift).
Overseas sales started in 1958 with a sample shipment to Thailand, and as of the end of 2011, the global sales network including sales of products manufactured overseas extends to 188 countries (648 sites).
In December 2000, Toyota Motor Corporation and Toyoda Automatic Loom Works signed an agreement to integrate their logistics and forklift businesses and transfer the business to Toyoda Automatic Loom Works. In April 2001, Toyota L&F Company was established as an internal company of Toyoda Automatic Loom Works through the merger of its industrial vehicle manufacturing and sales divisions.
Developments in the Industrial Vehicles and Equipment Business
Year
|
Month
|
Events
|
---|---|---|
1953
|
July
|
Toyoda Automatic Loom Works begins production research on small lift trucks
|
1956
|
February 1
|
Toyota Motor Sales establishes the Machining Operations in the Parts Department to conduct sales of lift trucks
|
March
|
||
1957
|
December
|
850 kg towing tractor (model LAT) launched
|
1958
|
May
|
1-ton lift truck sample exported to Thailand
|
1960
|
January
|
1.2-ton shovel loader (model SR) launched
|
June
|
Operations started at a special-purpose lift truck plant at Toyoda Automatic Loom Works' Kyowa Plant
|
|
August 15
|
Chubu Toyota Lift Co., Ltd., Toyota's first specialty industrial vehicle dealer, established
|
|
1961
|
April
|
Exports of lift trucks to Southeast Asia and Latin America commenced
- Subsequently, exports are expanded to the Middle East in 1962, Europe and Africa in 1964, and North America in 1965 |
December
|
Toyota captures a 33% share of the Japanese lift truck market, the highest share in the industry (annual sales: 2,450 vehicles)
|
|
1962
|
February 1
|
Toyota Motor Sales establishes Export Headquarters
|
1963
|
January
|
First 2-ton lift truck with body frame (model 5LR) in Japan launched
|
March
|
Exports of 2-ton lift trucks (model 5LR) commenced
|
|
September
|
Shovel loader (model SD23) launched
|
|
1965
|
June
|
|
June
|
First special-purpose lift truck distributor in South Africa established
|
|
1966
|
February
|
Small-sized special vehicle (model 6LA) that can be operated with an ordinary driver's license launched
|
December 1
|
Toyota Motor Sales' Parts Department Machining Operations spun off as the Industrial Vehicles Department
|
|
1967
|
January 1
|
Toyota Motor Sales establishes the Industrial Vehicles Operations in the Export-Parts Department to reinforce the lift truck export organization
|
July
|
Electric counterbalanced lift truck (model FB15) launched
|
|
September
|
Monthly shipments, sales, and production of industrial vehicles in Japan reach 1,000 units for the first time
|
|
December
|
Annual industrial vehicle exports reaches 673 vehicles, accounting for 33% of exports and taking the top position in the Japanese industry in terms of export volume
|
|
1968
|
October 1
|
Toyota Motor Sales establishes the Administrative Staff in the Industrial Vehicles Department to reinforce product and sales planning operations
|
December
|
Shipments in Japan exceed 10,000 vehicles
|
|
1969
|
January
|
Toyota National Dealers' Advisory Council (TNDAC) establishes a lift truck section
|
November
|
Cumulative lift truck sales in Japan reaches 50,000 vehicles
|
|
1970
|
July
|
Electric reach truck (model FBR10 and model FBR15) launched
|
September 22
|
||
November 1
|
Model FG7 and model FB7 launched as "lift trucks for the people"
- Television commercials aired to develop new markets |
|
1971
|
February
|
Cumulative industrial vehicle exports reaches 10,000 vehicles
|
September 6
|
Cumulative industrial vehicle production reaches 100,000 vehicles
|
|
1972
|
September
|
Cumulative lift truck production reaches 100,000 vehicles
|
September 20
|
2-ton and 2.5-ton internal combustion lift trucks launched
- Body frame with built-in headguard and power steering included as standard features |
|
1973
|
February
|
Toyota Motor Sales establishes the Export -Industrial Vehicle Department in the Export Headquarters
|
February
|
Cumulative sales of lift trucks in Japan reach 100,000 vehicles
|
|
November
|
First Industrial Vehicle European Distributors Conference held
|
|
1974
|
October 1
|
Toyota Industrial Trucks, U.S.A. Inc. established through joint investment by Toyota Motor, Toyota Motor Sales and Toyoda Automatic Loom Works
(Acquired by Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. on April 1, 1984) |
December
|
Toyota's lift truck production volume reaches world's highest (excluding the Communist bloc)
|
|
1975
|
January
|
Assembly begins in Peru
- Subsequently, assembly begins in Brazil in July 1976 and South Africa in December 1977 |
|
Cumulative lift truck production reaches 200,000 vehicles
|
|
|
First lift truck leasing and rental business in Japanese market launched
|
|
1976
|
February
|
'Sweeper' floor cleaning equipment (model QBW9 and model QB12) launched
|
June 7-9
|
First Conference of Toyota Industrial Vehicle Distributors held
|
|
August 14-15
|
First Service Technician Training Program in Japan held
|
|
1977
|
April 6
|
|
May
|
Export of four-wheel-drive skid steer loaders (sold in Japan as Jobsun) begins
|
|
|
Various measures to stabilize dealer operations reinforced (through 1984)
|
|
1978
|
June 9
|
Narrow Ace (model FBE), the first three-wheeled electric counterbalanced lift truck from a Japanese manufacturer, launched
|
June 1-2, June 8-9
|
Overseas Industrial Vehicle Group holds First Industrial Vehicle Parts Seminars in Europe and the Middle East and Africa
|
|
October
|
Job Fighter shovel loaders (model SDT12 and model SDT15) launched
|
|
October
|
JLG truck mounted aerial work platforms (model JD12 and model JD18) launched
|
|
December
|
Cumulative lift truck sales in Japan reach 200,000 vehicles
|
|
December
|
Cumulative industrial vehicle production reaches 300,000 vehicles
|
|
1979
|
|
Cumulative lift truck production reaches 300,000 vehicles
|
1980
|
July 29
|
Cumulative industrial vehicle exports reach 100,000 vehicles
|
December
|
Toyota invests in Tomen Transportgerate GmbH (TTG), a West Germany-based distributor
|
|
1982
|
April
|
F80 system introduced
|
May
|
Assembly in New Zealand begins
- Subsequently, assembly begins in Indonesia in February 1985, Venezuela in August 1985, and France in January 1987 |
|
May 17-18
|
||
June
|
Major improvements made to leading 141 model lift trucks and orange made the standard color
|
|
December
|
Heavy Duty series of 6-ton to 8-ton internal combustion lift trucks launched
|
|
|
Cumulative lift truck production reaches 400,000 vehicles
|
|
1984
|
January
|
Oversees Industrial Vehicle Group launches Parts Award Program
|
April
|
Computerized industrial vehicle order system begins full-scale operation
|
|
September
|
Dealer Medium-Term Management Plan adopted
|
|
September
|
Cumulative lift truck sales in Japan reaches 300,000 vehicles
|
|
1985
|
March
|
All dealers become profitable
|
September 11
|
||
|
Worksite campaigns continuously conducted as a means of raising the participation rate in sales pitches (through 1986)
|
|
1986
|
May 29-30
|
Second Toyota Industrial Vehicle World Conference held
|
May
|
Cumulative industrial vehicle exports reaches 200,000 vehicles
|
|
July 10
|
Toyota automatic guided vehicle system
- (General guided vehicle types [ACBJ2, ACB3, and ACB5] and tractor types [ATB-T8 and ATB12]) launched |
|
August 28
|
X300 series of 1-ton to 3-ton internal combustion lift trucks launched
|
|
October
|
Voluntary export restrictions on lift trucks to the EU imposed
|
|
1987
|
January
|
France-based Manitou conducts knock-down production for sales in France
|
April 9
|
Techno Reach R300 series of 1-ton to 1.8-ton electric reach trucks launched
|
|
September 10
|
Optically guided small automatic vehicle launched
|
|
September 10
|
Rack Sorter unit-type automated storage and retrieval system launched
|
|
September
|
Toyota Industrial Equipment Europe S.A.R.L (TIEE) established in France (approval received August 25)
|
|
October
|
Re-export of lift trucks produced by France-based Manitou to other European countries begins
|
|
November 10
|
B300 series of 1-ton to 3-ton electric counterbalanced lift trucks launched
|
|
1988
|
June 16
|
D300 series of 3.25-ton to 4.5-ton internal combustion lift trucks launched
|
October 27
|
||
1989
|
January
|
Cumulative lift truck sales in Japan reach 400,000 vehicles
|
May 18
|
Groundbreaking ceremony for construction of TIEM plant in the U.S. held
|
|
1990
|
January 12
|
Shares of Toyota lift truck sales distributor Liftrucs Ltd. in the U.K. acquired
|
October 9
|
TIEM holds ceremony marking the start of operations
|
|
1991
|
January 16
|
G300 series of 5-ton to 8-ton internal combustion lift trucks launched
|
October 11
|
Cumulative lift truck sales in Japan reach 500,000 vehicles
|
|
1992
|
May 25
|
|
July
|
Cumulative production by TIEM reaches 10,000 vehicles
|
|
October 1
|
Rack Sorter B unit-type automated storage and retrieval systems (plastic container type) launched
|
|
1993
|
March 8
|
Cumulative industrial vehicle exports to the United States reaches 100,000 vehicles
|
1994
|
January 20
|
X500 series of 1-ton to 3-ton internal combustion lift trucks launched
- X500 series wins 1994 Good Design Award (Ministry of International Trade and Industry certified G Mark product) |
October 13
|
R500 series of 1-ton to 1.8-ton electric reach trucks launched
|
|
1995
|
March
|
|
August 29
|
||
November 16
|
B500 series of 1-ton to 3-ton four-wheeled electric lift trucks launched
|
|
1996
|
September 3
|
D500 series of 3.25-ton to 5-ton internal combustion lift trucks launched
|
September 10
|
Petit Runner series of under 1-ton electric counterbalanced lift trucks launched
|
|
1997
|
April 7
|
Petit Runner G series of under 1-ton internal combustion lift trucks launched ("G" stands for gasoline)
|
1998
|
March 6
|
Little Runner series of 500 kg and 700 kg stand-up electric counterbalanced lift trucks launched
|
September 7
|
GENEO series of 1-ton to 3-ton internal combustion lift trucks launched (3.5-ton to 5-ton models added in January 1999)
- System of Active Safety (SAS) new safety system incorporated |
|
October 1
|
|
|
1999
|
August 26
|
GENEO-B series of 1-ton to 3-ton electric counterbalanced lift trucks launched
- Alternating current drive system adopted; Series wins Minister of International Trade and Industry Prize of 30th Machine Industry Design Awards |
|
Annual Japanese market share of sales of lift trucks exceeds 40% for first time
|
|
2000
|
June 22
|
Toyoda Automatic Loom Works acquires BT Industries AB, a Swedish manufacturer of warehouse equipment
|
December 26
|
||
2001
|
January 23
|
GENEO-R series of 1-ton to 3-ton electric reach trucks launched
|
April 1
|
L&F Group transferred to Toyoda Automatic Loom Works
|