This week Toyota Material Handling Europe is hosting a 400 sqm exhibition, It’s Just Forklifts, at Milan Design Week, as it seeks to “redefine how the public perceives the machines that keep moving the world”.

Milan Design Week is held annually and is considered a global premier design event which includes the Fuorisalone event of exhibitions as well as the Salone del Mobile furniture trade fair.

Of its current exhibit, TMHE says it traces “the evolution of moving goods, beginning with logistics’ earliest challenges and culminating in today’s interconnected supply-chain ecosystems”. 

“This historical journey transitions seamlessly into Toyota’s own design heritage, showcasing prototypes, iconic products and key milestones that demonstrate how design has shaped usability, safety and sustainability across generations of forklifts,” the company states. 

“By presenting these machines as engineered objects with purpose and personality, Toyota Material Handling Europe aims to broaden the public’s understanding of the essential role forklifts play in modern life.”

TMHE says the two major highlights of its exhibit will be the unveiling of the Triago48 electric counterbalance forklift and the naming of the finalists of the 2026 Toyota Logistic Design Competition (not announced at time of publication).

Toyota’s design competition is a collaboration with partners Toyota Motor Europe, Toyota Europe Design Development (ED²), Toyota Material Handling Europe Design Center and Toyota Open Labs. 

“This year’s edition challenges young designers from around the world to envision future material-flow systems tailored to the needs and opportunities of the African continent,” TMHE states. 

“Their proposals – expressed through models, visuals and interactive elements – reveal bold, imaginative approaches to logistics, mobility and human-centred design. 

“The competition area becomes a platform for emerging talent and a space where creativity meets real-world challenges.”