Sakichi Toyoda, born in 1867, was the son of Ikichi and Ei Toyoda. From an early age, Sakichi had a passion for learning and a desire to contribute to society by creating new and valuable inventions. Through hard work and perseverance, he quickly becomes known as a prominent inventor in Japan after obtaining patents for the Toyoda wooden handloom and Toyoda power loom.

Sakichi Toyoda Revolutionizes Manufacturing

Over the years, Sakichi continued to invent more sophisticated and advanced looms and eventually established Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, Ltd. in 1926. Although their primary function was the invention and manufacture of looms, the company had larger aspirations of broader research and innovations outside the textile industry. This drive led to the company’s significant business diversification efforts that resulted in the eventual design and production of engines, automobiles, air compressors, and, of course, forklifts. In 1936, the name change from “Toyoda” to “Toyota” occurred because the latter can be written with eight strokes in Japanese katakana. Eight is regarded as a lucky number in East Asian culture.

First Forklift Was Invented by Toyota Motor Sales Co.

Toyota began the development of its first lift truck in 1955. By 1956, the model LA 1-ton internal combustion engine counterbalanced forklift was launched through Toyota Motor Sales Co. (currently Toyota Motor Corporation). The lift truck market grew rapidly in the 1960s, and in 1970 Toyota established a dedicated factory for the production of industrial vehicles in Takahama, Japan. Over 1 million square foot parcels of land, this facility is still used to this day as Toyota forklift’s headquarters and main manufacturing facility. In 1970, Toyota systemized the Toyota Production System (TPS) based on two main ideologies: “Just-in-Time” and “Jidoka (automation with a human touch).” While TPS has evolved, it is currently a world-renowned philosophy practiced at all Toyota production facilities worldwide.

Forklift Innovations Throughout the 20th Century

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, more diversified products began to be designed and manufactured, including diesel and electric forklift fleets, models with lift capacities of up to 40 tons, and even an extensive lineup of forklift attachments and options. Increasing global demand for these products led to the first Toyota forklift sale in the United States in 1967.