As Japan grapples with the aftermath of the 9 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami that devastated the Tohoku region and the country's coastline, materials handling companies are chipping in.

Leading forklift manufacturer Toyota Industries Corp (TICO) announced on 14 March that it is offering a JPY100 million (USD1.2 million) package to assist in earthquake relief efforts.

Osamu Nakamura, project general manager at Aichi-based TICO, says so far, the company's employees and associates are thought to be fine.

"Let me inform you that as of today, 14:55, 15 March 2011, we Toyota Industries Corp did not hear of any injuries of our group associates," Nakamura writes in an email.

Kiyoshige Ishii, president of KAUP's Japan representative, Wellstone Japan Ltd, says his family is unharmed but he has several business associates in the northeast areas that he is unable to contact.

Construction equipment and forklift maker Komatsu Ltd is providing assistance worth JPY300 million (USD3.7 million) to relief efforts including the donation of prefabricated structures to use as temporary clinics and free-of-charge loan of construction equipment, forklifts, temporary housing, power generators and other products that the company owns.

Komatsu says it also plans to collect cash donations from its employees. CEO Kunio Noji is heading a newly formed Emergency Task Force that will lead group-wide efforts to confirm the safety of employees and their families, including distributors and suppliers, as well as assist earthquake victims.

Nippon Yusoki Co Ltd, which makes Nichiyu forklifts, has also set up a task force at its head office to confirm the safety of its employees and assess its branch office in the devastated area.

Nippon Yusoki says it can't confirm the safety of some of its employees at its subsidiary, Nichiyu MHI Tohoku, located in Tohoku, the area worst hit by the earthquake.

The company says in a statement that out of Nichiyu MHI Tohoku's 14 branch offices, the Ishimaki and Kesennuma offices suffered flood damage and have ceased business activities.
"We are dedicating all our efforts for reconstruction and recommencement (of those businesses).

"We are investigating the damage caused by the earthquake (and) will disclose the information swiftly as the damage could crucially influence our business performance of the current period." Nippon Yusoki is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd (MHI) is providing aid worth JPY500 million (USD6.2 million) to support recovery efforts. The company says it is still working out the details of the aid's disbursement.

MHI has already launched initiatives to assist in recovery including the dispatch of company engineers and the provision of material support.