IRVINE, Calif. (April 13, 2009) – Toyota Material Handling, U.S.A., Inc.’s (TMHU) 8-Series AC powered reach truck was honored in Plant Engineering magazine’s annual “Product of the Year” awards program.

For more than 20 years, Plant Engineering’s “Product of the Year” has been renowned as the industry’s most distinguished award for innovation in manufacturing products. According to the material handling publication, it is bestowed only to those manufacturers who have created the best new ideas that make plant management better, faster and smarter.

A special panel of engineers selected Toyota from among 150 finalists in 16 categories for “Product of the Year,” and final award recipients were then determined by an online poll of Plant Engineering’s readers. Toyota’s 8-Series AC powered reach truck received the 2008 Product of the Year honors in the Material Handling Systems category. This achievement was formally acknowledged before an audience of the nation’s leading plant managers at the 2009 Plant Engineering Manufacturing Summit in Charleston, S.C.

“We are honored Plant Engineering and the magazine’s readers have recognized Toyota’s 8-Series reach truck as a winner in the prestigious ‘Product of the Year’ awards,” said Brett Wood, president of TMHU. “With the launch of the new 8-Series AC powered reach truck, we focused on increasing efficiency and productivity for our customers with faster travel speeds and fewer service intervals. We are extremely pleased to see these improvements have helped us earn this recognition from our customers and the material handling industry.”

About the 8-Series AC Powered Reach Truck

The new line of 8-Series AC reach trucks are designed for distribution centers, retail operations, refrigerated warehouses and third party logistics (3PL) applications. Toyota offers three models including a single reach truck in 3,500- and 4,500- pound lifting capacities and a 3,000-pound capacity double reach model.

The 8-Series AC reach trucks features a number of enhancements, including an AC-powered drive system, AC powered hydraulic system (on 36-Volt models), and virtually maintenance-free electric disc brake – all designed to offer increased productivity and performance through faster travel speeds, reduced maintenance costs and an overall extended life cycle.

About Toyota Material Handling, U.S.A., Inc.

Celebrating more than 40 years of established operations in the United States, Irvine, Calif.-based Toyota Material Handling, U.S.A., Inc., (TMHU) has been the No. 1 selling lift truck supplier in the U.S. since 2002 and currently offers a full line of high-quality lift trucks sold under the Toyota brand. TMHU, as the sole United States distributor for Aichi, now offers a line-up of aerial work lifts, including scissor lifts, crawler and wheeled boom lifts designed specifically to meet a wide range of indoor and outdoor needs.

Built on a reputation of excellence, Toyota remains popular due to its quality, durability and reliability. Quality is the hallmark of Toyota’s world-renowned Toyota Production System practiced at all Toyota manufacturing facilities, including Toyota Industrial Equipment Manufacturing (TIEM). Most of the Toyota lift trucks sold in the United States are manufactured at TIEM in Columbus, Ind.

TIEM, and all Toyota manufacturing plants in the U.S. and Canada, comply with the ISO 14001 standard from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and have been honored for their environmental management systems and dedication to continuous improvement.

Toyota’s commitment to excellence in customer service extends nationwide. Sixty-eight authorized Toyota Industrial Equipment dealers, with a total of 189 dealership locations throughout the United States offer comprehensive customer service and support, including one-stop shopping for both new and used lift trucks, rentals, parts and service, fleet servicing and financing. For more information on TMHU, please visit www.toyotaforklift.com or call 1-800-226-0009.