Celebrating 50 years of Toyota forklifts
Celebrating 50 years of Toyota forklifts
50 years of Toyota forklifts
2006 sees Toyota reach an impressive milestone in its development as a world-leading material handling brand. This is the year that the company celebrates 50 years of manufacturing forklifts.
With the first commercial forklift, the Toyota Forklift LA launched in Japan in March 1956, followed by the unveiling of new products and services every year since then, Toyota Industries Corporation is now the world’s biggest manufacturer of material handling equipment.
With Toyota distributors around the world planning to celebrate the 'golden anniversary', the company has produced a special commemorative book detailing its history as well as its goals for the future. 'Celebrating 50 years of Toyota Forklifts' gives an insight into the development of the forklift and of the company itself.
According to the President of Toyota Industrial Equipment Europe, Shinya Furukawa, Toyota is where it is today thanks to the vision and ingenuity of Toyota people and their drive to put the customer first:
"Success is about putting the customer first. Thinking about the needs of any manufacturing or warehousing operation, how to help it improve productivity and make sure that the forklift drivers are comfortable and efficient. These issues are at the heart of what we do. Without thinking about the end-user we would not be the company that we are."
"The Toyota way of working and thinking is critical in this process. The company is admired the world over for the Toyota Production System, which inspires team members to optimise quality, constantly improve processes and eliminate natural waste. TPS influences everything we say and do at Toyota. It includes a common set of values, knowledge and procedures and encourages every person to strive for overall improvement, as well as their own fulfilment."
Toyota has a very clear goal in mind for the next 50 years. It is committed to delivering products and services that will fulfil people’s wishes, wherever they are in the world. The environment also plays a central part in this goal. Helping to resolve some of the problems the world faces and delivering ever more environmentally friendly solutions is vital to the company.
In Europe itself, Toyota is stronger than ever before. A European network of 20 distributors in 27 countries, Toyota is well placed to serve customers. Innovative, high quality assessment programmes such as ASEC (After Sales Evaluation and Certification) and STEP (Service Technician Education Programme) mean that customer service is kept to the highest standards in every country that Toyota operates.
Mr Furukawa concludes: "Thanks to our visionary people and their continued commitment to customers we are the world leader in materials handling. Without the ongoing loyalty of our customers we would not be where we are today. We look forward to the next 50 years, delivering ever stronger solutions to industry in every part of the planet."