Toyota Material Handling Europe advances toward net zero with SSAB Zero™ steel
Toyota Material Handling Europe has reduced the carbon footprint of its iconic hand pallet truck Toyota Lifter LHM230 by 18% cradle-to-gate by switching to SSAB Zero™ steel in the forks and frames. The move is a key milestone toward the company’s ambition of net zero emissions across its entire value chain by fiscal year 2041.
At Toyota Material Handling Europe, forklifts and pallet trucks keep warehouses and logistics running around the clock. Steel is at the heart of those products, but conventional steelmaking is a major source of CO₂ emissions.
“This is the reason why collaborating with SSAB is so important – combining their knowledge in lower-carbon steels with our target to reduce emissions all through the value chain,” says Camilla Åkerman, Program Manager Fossil-Free Products, Toyota Material Handling Europe.
Measurable results at scale
The collaboration began with Toyota Material Handling’s high-volume hand pallet truck, the Toyota Lifter LHM230. The forks and frames of this model are now made with SSAB Zero™, and the same steel is used in the forks of three Toyota BT Levio powered pallet trucks – the LWE130, LWE140 and LWE160.
“By using SSAB Zero™, we cut the emissions in the forks and frames in our hand pallet trucks by up to 75%, which accounts for 18% decarbonisation for the entire product, cradle-to-gate” says Per Fyrenius, Senior Vice President Corporate Development, Toyota Material Handling Europe.
Verified performance
The introduction of SSAB Zero™ required verification to ensure performance and production compatibility.
“The main challenge was verifying the material to ensure performance required a robust verification plan. It was a challenge for us, but the results were very positive,” says Camilla Åkerman.
For SSAB, the partnership is further proof that low-emission steel can seamlessly replace conventional grades without compromising quality.
“SSAB Zero™ is our decarbonised steel that meets the same high-quality standards as conventional steel. It delivers the same strength, durability, and reliability – ensuring that Toyota’s trucks perform in the most demanding environments,” says Matts Nilsson, VP and Head of Sales, SSAB Europe.
Driving the transition together
Toyota Material Handling Europe produces around 80,000 hand pallet trucks and 15,000 powered pallet trucks every year. The company sees the partnership with SSAB as a key enabler in its long-term decarbonisation roadmap.
“With SSAB Zero™, we are now achieving real, measurable carbon savings. We’re proud to be the first material handling manufacturer to use SSAB Zero™ decarbonised steel in serial production,” says Camilla Åkerman.
Encouraged by the results, Toyota Material Handling Europe is now exploring further ways to integrate low-CO₂ materials across its product portfolio.
“Our partnership with Toyota Material Handling Europe is built on a shared commitment to innovation and climate action. It proves that industry leaders can really drive change when working together,” says Matts Nilsson, VP and Head of Sales, SSAB Europe.
FACTS:
SSAB Zero(TM) steel:
The fossil carbon emissions in SSAB’s production of SSAB Zero™ are less than 0.05 kg CO2e/kg steel in Scope 1 and 2 of the GHG Protocol.
To find out more about Toyota’s Zero Steel initiative and our approach to reducing carbon emissions, click here.