Toyota Material Handling Europe to support the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024 as official partner for material handling equipment

Toyota Material Handling Europe will be part of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024, the company has announced.

Under Toyota’s worldwide partnership with the Games, Toyota Material Handling Europe will supply material handling equipment to power smart and sustainable operations in Paris.

The partnership will make full use of Toyota Material Handling Europe’s existing range – including counterbalance trucks, powered pallet trucks and powered stackers using a combination of electric and fuel cell technology – as well as newly released models. The company also plans to introduce entirely new forward-thinking concepts in goods transport, contributing to the Olympics’ mission to make all its events carbon-neutral or carbon-negative.

Toyota Material Handling Europe’s parent company, Toyota Industries Corporation, is part of Toyota Group companies. Toyota has been a member of the Olympic Partner (TOP) Programme since 2015, and Toyota Motor Corporation has since provided the Games with mobility solutions and services. At the Olympic and Paralympics Games Paris 2024, this will be taken one step further: Toyota Motor Europe and Toyota Material Handling Europe will both deliver solutions for the safe, sustainable and intelligent movement of goods and people under the Beyond Zero concept.

“Though we are in the different business within the Toyota Group, it made sense for us to collaborate to bring the most powerful and complete solutions possible to Paris,” said Ernesto Domínguez, President & CEO, Toyota Material Handling Europe. “We share our founder’s innovative spirit, set of values, and commitment to creating positive transport experiences – and we also share a sense of honour and privilege to contributing at the inspirational events in Paris 2024.

“At the same time, we are contributing to one of society’s pressing challenges: achieving climate-neutral mobility that meets all our needs, for both people and goods. In a fruitful collaboration, we can achieve so much more than by working alone.”

Progress towards 2024 has already begun

Toyota Motor Europe and Toyota Material Handling Europe have already participated in the collaborative event: Beyond Zero City, an exhibit at the National Museum of Science and Technology in Stockholm, for which Toyota is the main sponsor.

Zero City demonstrates what urban spaces will look like without fossil-fuelled cars, with sustainable and convenient public transport, and where digitalisation and electrification make mobility safer, cleaner and more empowering. As well as showcasing urban transformation, it explores Toyota’s transformation from a vehicle manufacturer into a modern mobility company; Toyota technologies on display include autonomous electric vehicles, AI-assisted pallet drones, and human support robots.

Tom Schalenbourg, Director Sustainable Development at Toyota Material Handling Europe, added: “In 2021 we joined the UN Race To Zero, committing to set science-based targets to bring our emissions in line with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C target. By 2031, we aim to switch all our buildings and fleets of vans and cars to 100% renewable energy, as well as reducing emissions across our entire value chain by 55% in line with the EU’s Fit for 55 package.”

“Paris 2024 has also joined the UN Race to Zero, and is aiming to reduce emissions by 50% compared to previous Games. If we can support them in reaching this goal, it will be of benefit to us both.”