In the heartland of the United States lies a small farming town with big city architecture and some of America’s most important engineering operations. Columbus, Indiana is the home of Toyota Forklift and we are proud to be assembled in the USA.

The American economy is a well-oiled intricate connection of businesses working together. At Toyota Forklifts, we know that if we get our jobs done in manufacturing, other businesses are getting their jobs done all across the country. At our Columbus, Indiana headquarters, we are proud to employ thousands of hard working Americans. Outside of our home base, 66 members of the Toyota dealer network sell forklifts straight to the hands of customers. If a product needs moved, you can bet we help move it, from coast to coast, through American warehouses, railyards, and ports, and in businesses ranging from family farms to fortune 500 companies. When we do well, we know other businesses are also doing well. People helping people—it’s the American way.

At Toyota we believe our core values drive the work that moves the American economy every day.

1. Always be faithful to your duties

The hard-working American culture means showing up and doing the right thing every day. Not only do we move our own company forward, but we strive to contribute to the overall betterment of the American economic infrastructure.

2. Always be studious and creative, striving to stay ahead of the times

We are innovators and inventors, just like our forefathers. Staying ahead of the times means a constant pursuit of improvement. Never be satisfied with average.

3. Always be practical and avoid frivolousness

The Toyota Production System is world-renowned and our lean style of management is commonly reproduced around the country. Other businesses have adopted our Kaizen attitude in order to be more profitable, efficient, and effective.

4. Always strive to build a homelike atmosphere at work that is warm and friendly.

The Midwest is known for the warm and homelike environment it fosters. Treating every member of our Toyota family like a valued part of our shared success isn’t just a business philosophy – we know that it’s true. And we know being generous means giving back to the community. Toyota has made a mark in Columbus by giving scholarships to disadvantaged youth, donating 50 cherry blossom trees to the city of Columbus, and supporting many other local philanthropic missions. Community is at the heart of our business.

5. Always have respect for God and remember to be grateful at all times.

Being an industry leader comes with responsibility. Showing gratitude for all that we have and all that we work for is key to our success.

While we are proudly assembled in the USA, this Japanese phrase integrates well into our patriotic culture here in Columbus, “Monozukuri wa hitosurkuri” – making things is about making people. Toyota Forklift values that Americans are passionate about working hard. Just like this country, we are a melting pot of people from all walks of life coming together for a common goal – getting the job done. People are the core of this business.

Original Post: Anna Harris, TMHU Marketing Intern

When your forklifts are placed in a planned maintenance rotation, you’ll have a technician on site inspecting your forklifts to be sure they are in top working condition. That means a Toyota Certified Technician is regularly on site to answer any specific questions you might have about the functionality of your fleet while they work to ensure your forklifts are in top working condition.

When a service tech is on site, they will be inspecting several parts of your forklift for optimal working condition. This will include:

• Mast, lift chains, forks, hydraulics
• Running and braking system
• Control system
• IC engine or electric motor
• Vehicle body and safety components

If your technician is thorough, you should be able to visibly see them inspect these specific areas. To ensure top quality inspection is occurring, it might be useful to request a PM inspection form before your begin the engagement with your service provider. Then, when a technician in on site, you can request that you see the completed form. This will help to make sure you’re getting exactly what you paid for. All Toyota Dealers have these forms available.

What is the long-term value of planned forklift maintenance?

One of the most important long-term values of planned maintenance is that it will save you money. Avoiding repair costs and downtime because maintenance issues are caught early before they become problems is one main contributing factor. But there are others, as we illustrate here:

More important than these cost savings can be the long-term benefit of planned forklift maintenance on the safety and security of operators. Worn out components can lead to accidents, but a technician might be able to replace these components during planned maintenance before they become too worn to function.

Increased efficiency is also a benefit, both because your forklifts will see increased uptime because of frequent maintenance and because you can plan for downtime during regularly scheduled inspection.

Planned forklift maintenance can also have additional, unanticipated benefits. For example, interruption to your daily schedule caused by a forklift breaking down might be avoided with planned maintenance. Instead of your having to take the time to call around attempting to locate a service tech to get the forklift back up and running, a Toyota Certified Technician will be on site regularly to help prevent such problems from occurring. You also won’t have to wait for an available technician to maintenance your forklift.

How do I know I’ve chosen the right partner for planned forklift maintenance?

Planned maintenance sounds great in theory, right? But it’s only great in practice if you have a dedicated partner who is willing to go the extra mile for your business. As you would when you purchase material handling equipment, perform thorough research to make sure you’re getting the right partner. Ask your potential partner for referrals for other businesses they’ve currently worked with. Take the time to interview your potential partner and get to know some of their technicians. After the engagement has begun, ask to see PM completion rates on your fleet to make sure they are holding up their end of your agreement.

As part of the Toyota 360 Support promise, Toyota is dedicated to being the industry leader in customer support and aftermarket services. Our dealers are happy to provide any of the information you request and can come on site for discussions leading up to a planned maintenance agreement.

Building a forklift that works perfectly for every application can be challenging. After all, what works for a small mom and pop retail store may not work as well for a high-throughput forging application. Options such as lights and attachments allow you to customize each forklift to fit your needs, but did you know that adjusting forklift settings can be just as critical to optimizing performance and efficiency?

Many forklifts today come standard with pre-set performance and operational settings that can be adjusted either through a built-in multi-function display or an external device such as a laptop. Toyota’s Core Electric and 3-Wheel Electric models, for example, each have over 60 different settings that can be fine-tuned through the display. These settings are protected via passwords to prevent access to unauthorized users.

Settings on Toyota forklifts are highly adjustable as most parameters have eight or more levels of adjustment. Understanding how these settings affect forklift operation is the first step in realizing productivity and efficiency gains. Below are a few examples of settings that can be adjusted and how they can impact your operation. If you feel like you may benefit from optimizing your forklift’s parameters, please reach out to your local Toyota dealer for expert support and service.

Toyota Forklift Acceleration, Speed, and Braking Adjustments

Travel/Acceleration – These speeds can be adjusted to increase productivity or slow down forklifts for when precise handling is necessary. These settings can also provide energy savings in applications where quick acceleration or faster travel speeds are not necessary.

Accelerator Pedal Response* – Adjusts sensitivity to the initial depression of the accelerator pedal. Higher settings will reduce the delay between when the pedal is depressed and when the forklift begins to accelerate.

Rollback Speed* – Trucks with the rollback feature have a momentary delay followed by a controlled descent when the accelerator pedal is released while on a grade. This setting allows the travel speed and time before rollback to be adjusted.

Over Speed Alarm – An alarm sounds on the forklift when a pre-set travel speed is exceeded.

Regenerative Braking* – Adjusts how quickly the truck slows down when the operator’s foot is taken off of the accelerator pedal. Strength of “plugging” response can also be adjusted (when travel direction is switched between forward and reverse).

Toyota Forklift Lift, Maintenance, and Power Adjustments

Hydraulic Functions – Lift, lower, tilt, and attachment speeds are all adjustable. This includes starting, inching, maximum, acceleration, and deceleration settings. These settings can also provide energy savings in applications where faster hydraulic speeds are not necessary.

Lift Interrupt Level* – Used to tune the depth of discharge of a battery before the truck reaches lift interrupt. When the battery reaches the set level, the lift function will be disallowed. This allows the forklift to be matched to the battery size and type that is installed.

Planned Maintenance Hour Meter – An alarm sounds to inform the operator when the forklift is due for planned maintenance. The maintenance period can be adjusted and the alarm can be overridden.

Engine Auto Off/Auto Power Off – Engine (IC models) or battery power (electric models) will automatically turn off during a certain period of inactivity. The amount of time before it turns off can be adjusted or the setting can be turned off entirely.

*Applies to electric forklifts only.

Original Post: ToyotaForklift.com 

Toyota’s full line of equipment ranges from the small but sturdy hand pallet truck to the colossal beasts that make up our line of container handlers. Oftentimes, load capacity and application needs will determine the best type of material handling equipment you’ll need. But sometimes the decision may be a bit more subtle.

A Toyota Hand Pallet Truck (HPT) may be exactly what you need to get the job done for smaller applications – but a Toyota Electric Walkie Pallet Jack might work just as well. The load capacities between these two products aren’t much different. The HPT’s capacity weighs in at 5,500 pounds while the Electric Walkie maxes out at 4,500. How do you decide between the two?

Electric Pallet Jack vs. Manual Pallet Jack — Using a Toyota Hand Pallet Truck

While the HPT can lift a higher capacity than the Electric Walkie, heavier loads mean more exertion from the operator, making it better suited for shorter run times and quick material handling jobs. It’s an economical option whose size makes it highly versatile and ergonomic without any of the complexities of electrical wiring or battery maintenance. It’s a great fit for retail, cold storage, and general warehousing industries!

Electric Pallet Jack vs. Manual Pallet Jack — Using a Toyota Electric Walkie

The Electric Walkie takes the strain off the operator, making it ideal for mid-distance runs and ease of operation when working on trailers, dock plates, and ramps or slopes. An electric disc brake comes in handy when working on a grade where you may need to stop, and the anti-rollback system conveniently assists in keeping a load stationary during a transition from braking to moving. The HPT doesn’t have a similar system, meaning that the operator must maintain the stability of the load through physical exertion or sitting the load down. On a grade, the momentum can make this difficult.

A bit bigger than an HPT, this walkie is still a great fit for efficiently moving products through a warehouse and is designed with convenience in mind. Its drive motor makes it easier to navigate over dock plates and to both pull and raise loads, ideal for higher cycle applications.

Sometimes it’s the small things that make a big difference. If you’re not sure which product is the best match for your operation, feel free to reach out to Dillon Toyota Lift for more information.  

Original Post: Anastasia Sistevaris, Communications Copywriter, Toyota Material Handling, USA

Let’s be honest. There are so many statistics and metrics involved with a forklift, it can be tough to understand what is what. There are tire types, mast types, various heights and dimensions that are all vital to know. Each of these needs consideration when considering what forklift is right for your operation.

One metric that is often overlooked is forklift free lift. A forklift’s free lift is the maximum height you can raise the forks without changing the mast height. There are two instances where this typically happens: when the inner mast rails extends past the outer mast rails or when the load backrest or carriage exceeds the height of the outer mast rails.

It is important to understand forklift free lift, especially if you are stacking or unstacking in confined spaces such as trailers, containers, and racking systems. These application have height restrictions and might cause product or equipment and possible safety concerns for operators or nearby pedestrians. There are two types of free lift a forklift can have: limited free lift or full free lift.

Forklift Free Lift – Limited Free Lift

When a forklift has limited free lift, it means that the inner mast rails will extend either immediately or shortly after lift is requested.  Limited free lift occurs with single-stage masts and two-stage masts with no free lift cylinder (see below on Full Free Lift). The amount of free lift can vary based on the condition and adjustment of the forklift’s lift chains as well as other factors such as fork thickness.

Forklift Free Lift – Full Free Lift

Full-free lift on a forklift means that the forks can be raised without immediately extending the inner mast channels. Full-free lift is available only on masts that have free lift cylinders. A free lift cylinder consists of a lift cylinder rod and assembly that is used to lift the carriage prior to the rear cylinders engaging.  This allows the carriage and forks to be lifted to a certain point prior to the inner mast rails. In many cases, you can get several feet of free lift depending on the mast design.

Full-free lift is helpful in areas where you need to lift a load, but have to be mindful of overhead obstructions.  Common areas where this is useful are for buildings with low ceiling heights and on trailers or box cars.

Original Post:  Kenny Trusnik, MArketing Systems & eCommerce Specialist, Toyota Material Handling, USA

Industrial jobs call for moving large objects in unanticipated locations. As a manager or operator, it can be frustrating when one-size fits-all heavy lifting rigging equipment fails to actually fit.

Indoor industrial jobs sometimes call for moving materials that don’t adhere to the traditional applications of cranes and other rigging apparatuses. These machines are great for lifting and setting down steel beams, heavy pieces of equipment, shipping containers, and other objects that will be primarily used outdoors or in building construction. But for indoor jobs, you might need to move objects into tight spaces. Traditionally, high-capacity, indoor jobs can be completed using a heavy duty forklift. But what happens when the object you’re moving doesn’t fit the common specifications associated with pallets, containers, or even other objects with consistent specs (like steel sheets, pipes, or lumber)? You might need to move heavy manufacturing equipment or heavy-duty machinery. So what do you do when that object does not comply with the lifting capacity or recommended load center for your traditional forklift or other material handling equipment?

Heavy Lifting Rigging Equipment: Finding a Forklift that Works

Luckily, the right forklift can work as heavy lifting rigging equipment if it comes equipped with a telescopic boom used to rig materials. For example, Toyota’s High-Capacity Adjustable Wheelbase comes standard with a telescopic boom that can rig materials for movement indoors. The forks can quickly be removed and replaced with the boom, meaning you’ll be able to move materials as efficiently as possible.

Once your uncommonly-shaped material is rigged, moving into tight, indoor spaces will be an easier process as a result. And for even tighter fits, having an adjustable wheelbase on the Toyota can be a major benefit, since the High-Capacity Adjustable Wheelbase allows you to extend and retract the wheelbase while also adding or removing counterweight slabs to increase and decrease load capacity. This can be a major benefit as long as the weight and shape of the material you’re moving falls within the recommendations at the specific wheelbase length and amount of counterweight slabs.

Remote control operation can also be an excellent feature when moving this type of material or manufacturing equipment, another option offered on the High-Capacity Adjustable Wheelbase. Remote capability means you can get out of the operator cab in order to ensure you have an improved view of the awkward object you’re moving and other objects in the facility (like racking or other machinery).

But why buy this expensive product for a one or two-time a year movement? Not to worry; forklifts with rigging capability like the Toyota High-Capacity Adjustable Wheelbase are prevalent in the rental market. As long as you are an operator or can employ an operator who has been trained to handle such a machine, you’ll be able to get one on site, move your object, and send it away quickly, so you can get back to doing whatever it is that you do best.

Original Post: Jake Stewart, Digital Marketing Specialist, Toyota Material Handling USA

A Walkie Rider Pallet Jack is an electric-powered pallet jack in which an operator stands on an integrated platform while operating. They are designed to easily move products through a warehouse or distribution center. Its power, maneuverability, and ergonomic design allow operators to efficiently make long runs from one end of the facility to the other and comfortably handle multiple stops.

Walkie Rider Pallet Jacks: A Customizable Solution for Many Applications

The Walkie Rider Pallet Jack provides a reliable solution to the challenges faced in a variety of industries and applications, including beverage, cold storage, food storage, general manufacturing, general warehousing, and retail. It operates effectively indoors as a low-level warehouse picker and pallet mover.

With the wide range of options and accessories, the Walkie Rider Pallet Jack can be customized to improve your operation’s productivity and efficiency. For example, customers who move materials in and out of cold climates can add a cold storage conditioning option that helps protect components from water and condensation. The galvanized option includes all the elements of the cold storage option, but adds more protection against corrosive environments.

Some of the popular options and accessories include:

Battery compartment rollers — Provide rollers at the bottom of the battery compartment and dual side gates to allow the pallet jack battery to be rolled out from either the left or right hand side of the truck.
Coast control with jog buttons — Allows the end-controlled rider pallet jack to be moved forward at the touch of a button for low-level order picking while walking next to the forklift.
Load wheels and drive tires — Different compound types and load wheel configurations are available to assist with long runs, tight turns, and pallet entry. See our How to Make Decisions Between Polyurethane and Nylon Pallet Jack Wheels for more information.

Walkie Rider Pallet Jacks Available from Toyota

Toyota offers two models of the Walkie Rider Pallet Jack:

End-Controlled Rider Pallet Jack
Center-Controlled Rider Pallet Jack

Both models are AC-powered with a multifunction control handle with angled handgrips and wrap-around hand guard and have a load capacity of 6,000 to 8,000 pounds.

The major difference between the End-Controlled Rider Pallet Jack and the Center-Controlled Rider Pallet Jack is the positioning of the operator platform. The End-Controlled Rider Pallet Jack operator stands on the platform on the tractor side and rides with the unit, while the Center-Controlled Rider Pallet Jack operator to stands on the platform between the forks and the battery. Also, the End-Controlled Rider Pallet Jack has a maximum fork length of 144 inches and the Center-Controlled Rider Pallet Jack has a 103 inch maximum fork length.

Despite having some design differences, the two models share similar functional advantages. The multifunction control handle allows riders to simply manage all the controls with either hand. In addition, the high-speed interlock allows operators to maintain a top travel speed of 6.2 mph with a full load for long-distance transport without continuously pressing a button.

Other important advantages include:

Programmable performance parameter that can be customized through a digital display to adjust for a variety of job applications.
Self-diagnostics to simplify troubleshooting and eliminate the need for an external hand-held analyzer.
A glance-and-go display that provides a quick summary of key information.

Original Post: Hunter Liggett, TMH Marketing Intern