Toyota Material Handling, U.S.A. (TMHU) has officially begun construction on a major expansion of its Columbus, Indiana, offices, marking another milestone in the company’s long-term investment in its U.S. manufacturing and corporate footprint.
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The groundbreaking ceremony took place at Toyota Industrial Equipment Mfg., Inc. (TIEM), the company’s primary manufacturing facility in Columbus. Once completed in 2013, the new headquarters expansion will represent a multi-million-dollar investment and add 21,400 square feet to the TIEM campus. The additional space will include expanded office and conference areas designed to support more than 170 TMHU associates.
“Today’s groundbreaking event not only commemorates our new headquarters, but also celebrates a commitment to our customers,” said Jeff Rufener, TMHU president. “TMHU’s new headquarters will bring TMHU and TIEM associates together under one roof, which will combine synergies and allow us to be even more responsive to customer and dealer needs.”
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The expansion is part of a broader strategic initiative announced by Toyota in April 2012 to more closely align its sales and marketing operations with manufacturing. TMHU’s existing Columbus office is already physically connected to the TIEM plant, where the majority of Toyota lift trucks sold in North America are built.
By further consolidating corporate and manufacturing operations in a single location, Toyota aims to improve collaboration across teams, streamline communication and accelerate decision-making processes that directly impact customers and dealer networks.
When construction is complete, the combined TMHU and TIEM campus will encompass more than 1 million square feet of manufacturing and support space and will be home to approximately 1,000 Toyota associates. Company officials say the expanded headquarters will strengthen Toyota’s ability to support growth in the North American materials handling market while reinforcing Columbus’ role as a central hub for production and business operations.
The headquarters project underscores Toyota Material Handling’s continued commitment to U.S.-based manufacturing, long-term infrastructure investment and operational efficiency in serving customers across North America.
Originally reported by MMH Staff in Modern Materials Handling.
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