Toyota Material Handling to Build Electric Forklift Factory in Indiana

COLUMBUS, IN—Toyota Material Handling is investing nearly $100 million to build a new facility here. The 295,000-square-foot plant will assemble battery-powered forklifts.

When production begins in June 2026, Toyota’s local 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.

“We are excited about this significant strategic expansion to our Columbus campus,” says Tony Miller, senior vice president of engineering, operations and strategic planning at Toyota Material Handling. “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,” claims Miller. “This new factory will allow us to deliver those electric units to customers faster than we can today…The facility will allow [us] to leverage cutting-edge manufacturing processes to produce electric products much more quickly….”

“Electric forklifts make up 65 percent of the North American market and this trend toward electrification in the material handling industry will continue to grow,” adds Brett Wood, president and CEO of Toyota Material Handling North America and senior executive officer at 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,” explains Wood. “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.”