Toyota Industries Corporation was founded in 1926 by Sakichi Toyoda to manufacture and sell the automatic looms which he had invented and perfected.
Since that time Toyota Industries has promoted diversification and expanded the scope of its business domains to include textile machinery, automobiles (vehicles, engines, car air-conditioning compressors, etc.), materials handling equipment, and electronics.
1867-
Business/Operations
Products/Technologies
1867
Sakichi Toyoda is born.
1890
Sakichi Toyoda invents Toyoda Wooden Hand Loom.
1896
Sakichi Toyoda invents Toyoda Power Loom.
1906
Sakichi Toyoda invents the Circular Loom.
1924
Sakichi Toyoda invents Toyoda Automatic Loom, Type G, with non-stop shuttle-change motion.
1926
Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, Ltd. (now Toyota Industries Corporation) established to manufacture and market the automatic loom invented by Sakichi Toyoda.
1927
Kariya plant completed; starts operations.
1929
Spinning frame production starts.
Automatic loom patent sold to Platt Brothers & Co., Ltd. of the UK.
1930 -
1930-
Business/Operations
Products/Technologies
1931
High Draft Ring Spinning Frame completed.
1933
Automobile Department set up to manufacture automobiles.
Steel production plant and trial production plant completed.
1934
A-type automobile engine completed.
“The Toyoda Precepts” established.
1935
Prototype of Model A1 passenger car completed.
Company unveils Model G1 truck at a new-car-release exhibition in Shibaura, Tokyo.
1936
Exhibition commemorating completion of mass-produced passenger car held; designated authorized automotive manufacturer.
Automobile Department separates and becomes Toyota Motor Co., Ltd. (now Toyota Motor Corporation)
1937
4-Line Super High Draft Ring Spinning Frame completed.
1940 -
1940-
Business/Operations
Products/Technologies
1940
Steel Production Department separates and becomes Toyoda Steel Works, Ltd. (now Aichi Steel Corporation)
1943
Toyoda Hospital established (forerunner of present KARIYA TOYOTA General Hospital).
1944
Obu Plant starts operations, producing castings.
1946
Reparation looms for World War II exported (first looms to be exported from Japan after war).
1948
Obu Plant designated production plant for foundry parts for automotive parts.
1949
Company stock listed on Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya Stock Exchanges.
1950 -
1950-
Business/Operations
Products/Technologies
1951
Spinning frame monthly output reaches 100,000 spindles.
1952
Production of press die for automobiles starts.
Kyowa Plant starts operations, producing engines and assembling automobiles.
1953
Automobile engine (S-type gasoline engine) production starts.
1956
Model LA 1-ton lift truck, Toyota's first lift truck model, introduced.
1957
D-type diesel engine parts production starts.
The Model LAT 0.85-ton towing tractor introduced.
1958
APA special procurement vehicle production starts.
1959
P-type gasoline engine production starts.
1960 -
1960-
Business/Operations
Products/Technologies
Plant devoted to lift trucks completed at Kyowa Plant.
Toyota Central Research & Development Laboratories, Inc. established with capital from 10 Toyota Group companies.
1960
Shovel loader production starts.
Three cylinder crank shaft type compressor production starts.
1963
J-type diesel engine production starts.
Friction welding machine production starts.
Dump truck production starts.
Recognized by Ministry of International Trade and Industry as first company contributing to export.
1964
Six-cylinder swash plate type compressor production starts.
Toyota Automated Continuous Spinning System unveiled.
1966
“The 100th Anniversary of the late Mr. Sakichi's birth” held at the Nagoya City Science Museum.
Industrial vehicle monthly output reaches 1,000 units.
1967
Nagakusa Plant starts operations. Publica (pickup truck) production starts.
Electric counterbalanced lift truck production starts.
Mini Ace (automobile) production starts.
H-type diesel engine production starts.
1968
Open-end spinning machine production starts.
1970 -
1970-
Business/Operations
Products/Technologies
Takahama Plant starts operations, producing industrial vehicles.
1970
FBR10/15 reach truck (stand-up type) introduced.
Divisional organization system introduced (head office, Textile Machinery, Industrial Vehicle, Vehicle and Obu Plant).
Toyoda-Sulzer Manufacturing Ltd. established as a joint venture with Sulzer Brothers, Ltd. of Switzerland to manufacture projectile looms.
Industrial vehicle production reaches 100,000 units.
1971
Corolla (van) production starts.
1972
Lift truck with built-in headguard production starts.
Industrial vehicle monthly output reaches 3,000 units.
1973
6P (6-cylinder swash plate) compressor production starts.
1974
Car air-conditioning compressor production reaches 1 million units.
1975
Compressor Department set up.
1976
Nagakusa Plant monthly output reaches 10,000 units.
Compressor Division separates from Textile Machinery Business Division.
1977
Swash plate compressor technology licensed to Chrysler and Ford.
JOBSUN skid steer loader introduced.
1978
Starlet (automobile) production starts.
FBE model Narrow Ace, three-wheeled electric counterbalanced lift truck introduced, a first among domestic manufacturers.
1980 -
1970-
Business/Operations
Products/Technologies
1980
JA air jet loom production starts.
1981
10P compressor production starts.
Hekinan Plant starts operations, producing automobile diesel engines.
1982
Production starts on C-type diesel engines for small passenger cars.
1984
Engine Division separates from Vehicle Division.
Engine Division separates from Vehicle Division.
Lift truck production reaches 500,000 units.
1985
10PA17 compressor production starts.
Obu Plant changed its name to Foundry Division.
Company awarded the Deming Application Prize for quality control implementation.
1986
Automatic guided vehicle system introduced.
Production of 1Z type 3-liter direct injection diesel engine for industrial vehicles starts.
Electronics Sub-Division set up.
1987
Sprinter Cielo (exported as the Corolla Back) production starts.
C-type diesel engine production reaches 1 million units.
Toyota Industrial Equipment Manufacturing, Inc. (TIEM) established in Columbus, Indiana, USA, as a joint venture with Toyota Motor Corporation.
1988
Sprinter sedan production starts.
RX100 ring spinning frame production starts.
AFBR series automatic guided lift truck introduced.
Michigan Automotive Compressor, Inc. (MACI) established in Jackson, Michigan, USA, as a joint venture with Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (now DENSO Corporation).
1989
HZ-type diesel engine production starts.
1990 -
1990-
Business/Operations
Products/Technologies
Company receives 1990 PM Excellent Plant Award.
1990
FZ-type gasoline engine production starts.
B300 electric lift truck controller equipped with SIT static induction transistor.
Sprinter Carib (automobile, exported as the Corolla Wagon) production starts.
Engine production reaches 5 million units.
Good Corporate Behavior Committee established.
1991
Production of semiconductors for automobiles starts with production of IC for vehicle control and static induction for blower motor controllers.
Environmental Committee set up.
1992
JAT600 air jet loom production starts.
Automated storage and retrieval systems (pallet type) production starts.
Automated storage and retrieval systems (plastic container type) production starts.
The first Environmental Action Plan launched.
1993
FL100 roving frame production starts.
RX200 ring spinning frame production starts
Toyota Industry (Kunshan) Co., Ltd. (TIK) established in China as a joint venture with Toyota Tsusho Corporation and Lioho Machine Works, Ltd.
1994
X500 (6FG/D outside Japan) series of internal combustion counterbalanced lift trucks introduced.
R500 (6FBR outside Japan) reach trucks introduced.
Toyota Industrial Equipment, S.A. (TIESA) established in France as a joint venture with Toyota Motor Corporation and Manitou B.F.
Lift truck production reaches 1 million units.
Kirloskar Toyota Textile Machinery Pvt. Ltd. (KTTM) established in India as a joint venture with the Kirloskar Group.
1995
Production of world's first 7 cylinder swash plate type variable displacement compressor (7SB) starts.
Production of DC-AC inverter for vehicles (100W) starts.
B500 (6FB outside Japan) electric counterbalanced lift trucks introduced.
1996
JAT610 air jet loom production starts.
RX240 ring spinning frame production starts.
Compressor production reaches 100 million units.
1997
Production of external control variable displacement compressor with direct pulley (6SE) starts.
Production of 10 cylinder swash plate type compressor (10S series) starts.
TD Deutsche Klimakompressor GmbH (TDDK) established in Germany as a joint venture with DENSO Corporation to produce car air-conditioning compressors.
1998
GENEO (7FG/D outside Japan) internal combustion counterbalanced lift trucks introduced.
Company takes over water jet loom business from Nissan Texsys Co., Ltd.
1999
Vitz (Yaris outside Japan) production starts.
Stationary Rack introduced.
GENEO-B (7FB outside Japan) electric counterbalanced lift trucks introduced.
2000 -
2000-
Business/Operations
Products/Technologies
Company acquires BT Industries AB of Sweden (now Toyota Material Handling Europe AB), a world-leading manufacturer of warehouse equipment.
Higashichita Plant starts operation, producing foundry parts.
2000
Production starts on DC-DC converter for the Prius (automobile).
Company takes over the industrial equipment sales division of Toyota Motor Corporation.
Toyota Material Handling Customer Center starts operation in Chiba.
Name changed to Toyota Industries Corporation.
2001
GENEO-R (7FBR outside Japan) reach truck production starts.
RAV4 (SUV) production starts.
bB Open Deck (automobile) production starts.
Production of DC-AC inverter (1.5kW) for vehicles starts.
Advanced Logistics Solutions Co., Ltd. established to plan distribution systems and operate distribution centers.
Higashiura Plant starts operations, producing compressor parts.
Toyota Motor Industries Poland Sp. z o.o. (TMIP) is established as a joint venture with Toyota Motor Corporation in order to produce diesel engines.
2002
AZ gasoline engine production starts.
Toyota Material Handling (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. is established to sell lift trucks in China.
Aichi Corporation, a manufacturer and seller of truck mounted aerial work platforms, etc., becomes a subsidiary of Toyota Industries.
2003
Production starts on GENEO-E center-steering electric counterbalanced lift trucks.
Production starts on JAT710 air jet looms.
2004
The total number of engines produced reaches 10 million units.
Toyota Industry Automotive Parts (Kunshan) Co., Ltd. (TIAP) is established to produce foundry parts.
The total number of car air-conditioning compressors produced reaches 200 million units.
TD Automotive Compressor Georgia, LLC (TACG) is established to produce car air-conditioning compressors in the U.S.
Toyota Industries Trading & Logistics (China) Co., Ltd. (TTLC) is established.
TD Automotive Compressor Kunshan Co., Ltd. (TACK) is established to produce car air-conditioning compressors in China.
2005
AD diesel engine production starts.
Production starts on KD diesel engines for automobiles.
2006
New GENEO (8FG/D outside Japan) internal combustion counterbalanced lift truck goes on sale.
VD diesel engine production starts.
Anjo Plant starts operations, producing electronic equipment.
2007
Mark X ZiO production starts.
Toyota branded lift truck cumulative global production reaches 2 million units.
2008
AR gasoline engine production starts.
The total number of car air-conditioning compressors produced reaches 300 million units.
2009
GENEO-HYBRID diesel-powered internal combustion hybrid lift truck introduced.
2010 -
2000-
Business/Operations
Products/Technologies
The total number of automobiles produced reaches 8 million units.
2010
Production starts on DC-DC converter for the Prius (automobile).
2011
P.T. TD Automotive Compressor Indonesia established in Indonesia to produce car air-conditioning compressors.
Toyota Industrial Equipment Vietnam Co., LTD. established in Vietnam to produce lift truck parts and small warehouse equipment.
Company acquires Uster Technologies AG, which produces and sells yarn quality measurement and cotton classing instruments.
Yantai Shougang TD Automotive Compressor Co., Ltd. established in China to produce car air-conditioning compressors.
2012
KS gas engine production starts.
Company acquires Cascade Corporation of the U.S.A., which produces and sells attachments for industrial equipment.
Toyota Material Handling Mercosur Indústria e Comércio de Equipamentos Ltda in Brazil starts production of lift trucks.
2013
Production starts on FS gas/gasoline engines.
Production starts on industrial-use KD diesel engines.
Production starts on JAT810 air jet looms.
The total number of car air-conditioning compressors produced reaches 400 million units.
Company establishes Toyota Industries Global Commercial Finance, Inc., a global sales finance management company headquartered in the U.S., and Toyota Industries Commercial Finance, Inc., U.S. sales finance subsidiary of Toyota Industries Global Commercial Finance, in order to strengthen Toyota Industries' industrial vehicle operations.
2014
Production starts on ZS diesel engines.
New GENEO (Tonero in Europe, and 8 Series in other regions) internal combustion counterbalanced lift truck (3.5 to 8 ton) introduced.
Company acquires the lift truck operations of Tailift Co., Ltd. and establishes LT Material Handling Pte. Ltd.
Company has achieved the No.1 market share in the Japanese lift truck market for 50 years in a row.
2015
Production starts on GD diesel engines.
Production starts on GENEO Ecore (8FBE outside Japan) compact electric lift trucks.
2016
The sixth Environmental Action Plan launched.
Sakichi Toyoda, the founder of Toyota Industries Corporation, possessed a strong ambition to contribute to society from his days as a youth. He had devoted his 63-year-long life to invention.