Toyota’s TIEM Plant Earns Company of the Year Award from Columbus Chamber

Toyota’s Columbus, Indiana manufacturing facility—Toyota Industrial Equipment Manufacturing (TIEM)—was recently honored with the prestigious Company of the Year award by the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce. The accolade was presented at the chamber’s annual meeting.

“Toyota is deeply honored by this recognition,” said Toshiya Yamagishi, President of TIEM. “We are committed to enhancing our associates’ quality of life and contributing to the overall success of our community.”

Each year, the chamber bestows several awards to celebrate excellence within the business community. TIEM was selected for its exceptional contributions that positively impact associates, the local community, and the marketplace.

The chamber highlighted several key achievements:

• Developed a rapid recovery plan following Japan’s 2011 earthquake and tsunami, enabling associates to maintain full 40‑hour work weeks.
• Earned zero‑landfill status by converting to a waste‑to‑energy facility and implementing comprehensive recycling programs.
• Introduced advanced risk‑assessment training, reducing safety incidents by 65 %.
• Implemented a total plant maintenance program that cut emergency repairs to just 11 % of total maintenance in 2009 and lowered the cost‑per‑hour of downtime by 10 % the same year.

TIEM designs, manufactures, and supplies Toyota lift trucks, tow tractors, and related parts, as well as motor vehicle components and accessories. The facility, recognized as a 2011 North American Best Plant by IndustryWeek, is a member of the National Safety Council, complies with ISO 14001 standards, and has produced over 400,000 Toyota lift trucks since its opening in 1990. For more information, visit www.toyotaforklift.com.