TIEM to Produce Diesel Tow Tractors

IRVINE, Calif.–Toyota Material Handling USA Inc. (TMHU) announced that Toyota Industrial Equipment Manufacturing (TIEM) Inc. will begin manufacturing diesel tow tractors in May.

TIEM, the company’s 870,000-square foot plant in Columbus, Ind., is being expanded by 20,000 square feet to accommodate the additional manufacturing operations. TIEM will be the first plant in the U.S. to manufacture Toyota’s tow tractors. The facility produces more than 100 lift trucks daily.

“Demand for Toyota’s tow tractors has grown steadily in the North American market in recent years,” said Shankar Basu, president and chief executive officer of TMHU and a director of TIEM. "By manufacturing domestically, we are improving our speed of delivery for our customers, and helping them keep their operating efficiency as high as possible.”

TMHU’s diesel tow tractors are available with 4,400- and 5,500-pound drawbar pull capacities and feature 2.4-liter Toyota 1DZ-III diesel engines. The new engines used in the 2TD20 and 2TD25 tow tractors have been certified to EPA’s Interim Tier IV standards, which results in 26% less particulate matter than today’s required Tier III levels, according to TMHU.