Toyota Material Handling UK was established in 2007 to manage the Toyota and BT material handling operations in the United Kingdom.
Toyota Material Handling UK is a regional organisation of the Toyota Material Handling Group which is part of Toyota Industries Corporation.
The Toyota and BT brands share a proud heritage with more than 60 years in the materials handling business. Key historical milestones include:
1926 Toyoda Automatic Loom Works (later Toyota Industries Corporation) founded
1946 BT founded
1948 First BT hand pallet truck
1954 First BT service centres in Sweden
1956 First Toyota counterbalance forklift truck produced
1958 BT begins exporting manual stackers
1965 First Toyota counterbalance forklift truck sold in Europe
1968 BT factory opens in Mjölby, Sweden
1978 BT introduces driverless truck
1983 BT launches first 48-volt reach truck
1987 Toyota Industrial Equipment starts forklift assembly in Ancenis, France
1996 Production starts at Toyota Industrial Equipment SA (TIESA) forklift factory in Ancenis, France
2000 BT Industries joins the Toyota family
2001 TIESA factory receives ISO 14001 certification for class leading environmental management
2001 Toyota Industries Corporation becomes the world leader in materials handling equipment
2004 Mjölby factory receives ISO 14001 certification for class leading environmental management
2005 Toyota Material Handling Europe is established
2005 Toyota exhibits first hydrogen fuel cell forklift prototype at CeMat
2006 Bologna factory, Italy receives ISO 14001 certification for class leading environmental management
2006 60th anniversary of BT materials handling equipment
2006 50th anniversary of first Toyota forklift
