Toyota Material Handling North America (TMHNA) has opened a new manufacturing facility at its Columbus, Indiana, campus, strengthening its production capacity for electric forklifts under the Toyota and Raymond brands. The 295,000-square-foot facility represents a $100 million investment, the largest expansion of TMHNA’s manufacturing footprint to date. The new plant takes the company’s total Columbus campus to 1.9 million square feet and adds approximately 140 jobs to the existing workforce of more than 2,100 employees.
The facility is designed to support growing demand for electric forklifts across North America. Electric models accounted for about 70% of the North American lift truck market in 2026, up from 66% in 2023. TMHNA expects the share of electric forklifts to continue increasing in the years ahead.
Brett Wood, President and CEO, Toyota Material Handling North America, said the new facility reflects the company’s strategy to prepare for the continued shift toward electrification while strengthening its manufacturing presence in the region. The new plant will initially produce the Class 1 Stand-Up Counterbalanced Forklift. Production of this model has moved from TMHNA’s facility in Greene, New York, to Columbus. The change will allow the Greene operation to increase its focus on products such as reach trucks, order pickers and automation, while Columbus expands counterbalance forklift production.
The new facility combines automated systems with skilled assembly operations and has been designed to provide flexibility as customer requirements change. Production lines can be expanded to accommodate changes in demand, supporting faster and more efficient manufacturing.
Sustainability has also been incorporated into the plant’s design. The facility uses a zero-VOC powder coating process and has been designed to support the future installation of rooftop solar panels.Safety and employee well-being are central features of the facility. Associates work in a climate-controlled environment with ergonomic assembly processes, reduced noise levels and flexible manufacturing lines. Toyota’s manufacturing execution system provides connected production flow and real-time information on quality, productivity and operational performance.
Construction of the facility began in June 2024, with production commencing in July 2026. The official opening ceremony was attended by Toyota Industries Corporation leadership, customers, dealers, suppliers and federal, state and local officials. Tony Miller, Chief Supply Officer, TMHNA, said the investment strengthens the company’s North American manufacturing network and expands its ability to meet future customer requirements.
TMHNA operates through the Toyota Material Handling and Raymond brands. The company has four major forklift manufacturing locations in Columbus, Indiana; Greene, New York; Muscatine, Iowa; and East Chicago, Indiana. Together, these facilities produce more than 1,900 forklifts each week. TMHNA has more than 16,000 employees, over 300 dealership locations and annual revenue exceeding $7 billion.
