Toyota Material Handling, U.S.A., Inc. (TMHU), announced today that in 2004, it strengthened its leadership position as the number one selling lift truck manufacturer in the United States. This is the third consecutive year Toyota has been ranked the largest supplier of lift trucks in the United States, according to third-party research conducted by Crist Information & Research.

Crist previously named Toyota the nation’s largest lift truck supplier in 2003. In 2002, they named Toyota the nation’s number one selling full-line supplier of lift trucks.

According to Industrial Truck Association data, in 2004 the industry as a whole enjoyed more than 20 percent growth over 2003.

“This past year has been very strong for Toyota. We attribute our ongoing success to Toyota’s overall value, leadership in technology and mostly to our strong dealer support,” said Dr. Shankar Basu, president and CEO of TMHU. “We’re entering our 38th year in the U.S. ready to further expand our leadership position in servicing our customers.”

TMHU is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., and offers a full line of high-quality lift trucks sold under the Toyota brand. Built on a reputation for excellence, Toyota is known for its quality, reliability and durability. Third-party research shows Toyota lift trucks rank highest in value and quality among the top competitors. Most of the Toyota lift trucks sold in the United States are manufactured in Columbus, Ind.

Toyota’s commitment to excellence in customer service extends nationwide. Seventy authorized Toyota Industrial Equipment dealers with a total of 186 dealership locations throughout the United States offer comprehensive customer service support, including one-stop shopping for both new and Certified Used lift trucks, parts, service and financing. For more information on TMHU, please visit www.toyotaforklift.com or call 1-800-226-0009.