Toyota’s commitment to safety, reliability and low cost of ownership has earned thousands of loyal customers over the years and the honor of being voted the #1 forklift sixteen years in a row.
Other forklift manufacturers compare themselves to Toyota, mainly price. While the purchase price is an important factor, smart buyers consider total cost of ownership. A forklift with a low purchase price can be significantly more expensive to own, especially if it has to be replaced in just a few years.
In our article about “what’s considered high hours on a forklift” (10,000 hours or more), we mentioned Toyota forklifts commonly run 20,000 hours or more. Here in our Garage of Champions article series, we’re showcasing Toyota forklifts with 25,000+ hours and vintage Taylor-Dunn vehicles that are still hard at work every day in northern and central California.
This 1989 Toyota is hard at work at Union Pacific in Roseville. The manager is pictured with the lift. He says his forklift, "off-loads rail cars daily and does a great job."
Louis Bernier from the Geo. M. Martin Company writes, "Our Taylor Dunn electric carts are workhorses. They are used on a daily basis by more than 80 personnel carrying heavy and light loads.
"These carts are 30 and 35 years old and maintained by our maintenance personal. Our old Taylor Dunn carts are driven as much as our new Taylor Dunn carts, and just about any given minute at least one or two of our carts are being driven.
"Geo. M. Martin Co. has been building quality long lasting machinery for more than seventy years and it would only make sense that we would use Taylor Dunn carts for that very same reason."
David Bachman is a local farmer, and this forklift has been in his family for 30 years - it was purchased new. When he brought his 3-Series forklift in for repair, we noticed something interesting. The plate said "Toyoda" instead of "Toyota."
Sakichi Toyoda, the founder of Toyota Industries Corporation received his first patent for the Toyoda wooden hand loom in 1891 and founded Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, Ltd in 1926. His son, Kichiro Toyoda, founded Toyota Motor Corporation in 1937.
There are different stories as to why the company chose "Toyota" instead of the family name "Toyoda." Here's the official explanation.
After World War II, Loom Works's focus shifted from textile equipment to automobiles. By 1952, Loom Works was made engines for Toyota automobiles.
In 1955, Loom Works made its first (prototype) forklift, and one year later, Toyota Forklifts were on the market. David Bachman's forklift was made in Japan, but today's Toyota Forklifts for the US market are made in Columbus, Indiana.
We hope you've enjoyed these stories from our customers. If you have a "classic" Toyota forklift or Taylor-Dunn cart you'd like us to feature, let us know.
Looking to buy a new or used forklift or utility cart? We hope you'll contact TMH online or by phone. We're a family-owned company and we'd love the opportunity to earn your business.
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