Gov. Holcomb helps break ground on new Columbus Toyota Material Handling facility

COLUMBUS, Ind. -- Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb helped break ground on the new Toyota Material Handling facility in Columbus on Wednesday with officials from the company.

According to a news release from Holcomb's office, Toyota Material Handling's new manufacturing facility in Columbus will be 295,000 square-feet and cost nearly $100 million. This new facility will expand the company's Columbus headquarters and is expected to specialize in electric forklift production.

“Indiana has made it a strategic priority to cultivate the economy of the future, and we continue to see impact of our work thanks to the partnership of great companies like Toyota,” Holcomb said.

“We’re so grateful to see Toyota continuing to invest heavily in southern Indiana. Toyota’s been a cherished partner and career cultivator to the state for the last 35 years, and we look forward to strengthening our bond even more in the decades to come in and around the Columbus region," Holcomb continued. "Today’s remarkable announcement shows yet again just how important our state’s business friendly environment – focus on long-term success and access to a skilled workforce – is to companies seeking to expand and grow far into the future.”

Officials said they expect that the faculty will create up to 85 new jobs in Columbus by the end of 2026. When the new factory is complete, the company's footprint in Columbus will grow to nearly 1.8 million square feet.

“Electric forklifts make up 65% of the North American market and this trend towards electrification in the material handling industry will continue to grow,” said Brett Wood, the president and chief executive officer of Toyota Material Handling North America and the senior executive officer for Toyota Industries Corporation.

“We hope this announcement shows our industry-leading dealer network and our customers that we are a proactive company, not a reactive one. We do not just plan for next week or next year – we’re preparing for the next decade, and this new initiative perfectly represents our commitment to that strategy," Wood continued. "This investment is one of the largest in our history and signifies TICO’s commitment to the North American market, the state of Indiana, the city of Columbus and most importantly, our dealers and our customers.”

Based on the company's plans for job creation and training, the release said the Indiana Economic Development Corporation will invest up to $1.1 million in conditional tax credits and up to $200,000 in training grants to Toyota Material Handling for the new facility. These incentives are performance-based. The city of Columbus also offered additional incentives.