TMHU's gold forklift

Toyota Material Handling USA (TMHU) has marked the 50th anniversary of the first Toyota forklift sold in the US with a special event for dealers, associates, dignitaries and media at its headquarters in Columbus, Indiana.

The company, which holds the title as the number one forklift manufacturer in North America, sold its first US forklift to a grape farmer in Fresno, California in 1967. Fifty years later, that forklift is still on display at the Columbus campus as a reminder to visitors of the brand's quality and longevity.

To mark the golden anniversary, Toyota associates custom-designed, engineered and built a gold-painted forklift, which was unveiled at the milestone ceremony on August 30, 2017.

Toyota will plant 50 cherry blossom trees on its Columbus campus and donate 50 more cherry blossom trees to the city of Columbus. Cherry blossom trees are the national flower of Japan, home of TMHU's parent company, Toyota Industries Corporation (TICO). In addition to the trees, Toyota presented the Columbus Department of Parks and Recreation with 50 youth scholarships for those in need.

"Fifty years represents a golden achievement in the US and today we honoured the associates, the dealers, our suppliers and the community who supported TMHU's journey to this major milestone," said Brett Wood, president and CEO of Toyota Material Handling North America. "This ceremony underscored our legacy here in the US, but it was also designed to give a glimpse into the future of Toyota Forklifts' ongoing leadership and growth in the rapidly changing materials handling and logistics industry."