Toyota Material Handling USA Inc (TMHU) has unveiled a new 7-Series three-wheel electric forklift, which uses Toyota's next-generation AC technology.

TMHU president Dr Shankar Basu said that, with the release of the 7FBE, TMHU, the leading full-line supplier of forklifts to the US market, now assembled 99 percent of its forklifts in the USA. Production of the 7FBE began in April.

Most Toyota forklifts for the US market are assembled by Toyota Industrial Equipment Manufacturing Inc (TIEM) at a state-of-the-art facility in Columbus, Indiana.

"Toyota has achieved a long-term goal by bringing nearly all our manufacturing efforts to the USA," Dr Basu said. "We strongly believe in supporting the communities where we live and work, and investing in our local economy at every opportunity to create jobs and encourage prosperity."

Since opening in 1990 to support Toyota's US growth, the TIEM manufacturing facility has increased its initial employment to more than 500, increased production more than 10-fold and more than doubled in physical size.

Last year the facility was expanded to include a 43,000-square-foot (4,000 square metre) parts distribution centre.