Toyota Industrial gets huge lift
THE humble but essential forklift both physically upheld and took centre stage at the celebration of the newly renovated Toyota Forklift Port Elizabeth premises in North End this week.
The event, where forklifts were deployed in crucial roles such as holding up the stage, attracted scores of material handling professionals, clients and other guests.
The dignitaries included Bay mayor Athol Trollip, Eqstra Industrial Equipment chief executive Gary Neubert, Toyota Industries senior managing officer Toshifumi Onishi, who is also the president of Toyota Material Handling International.
Also present was Shumani Tshifularo, managing director of Saficon Industrial Equipment, under which the new premises will be managed and under which Toyota Industrial Equipment will deliver forklifts and other equipment to the market.
Toyota Industrial Equipment is the market leader in South Africa’s materials handling operations, with its equipment being deployed in sectors including automotive, industrial, agricultural, warehousing and in the transport industry.
Guests were treated to a Japanese cultural ceremony which is said to bring good luck on new enterprises as part of the unveiling of a plaque for the revamped building.
The dignitaries present were handed mallets with which they collectively knocked open a barrel of traditional Japanese alcoholic drink sake. Addressing the gathering, Neubert expressed confidence in the Eastern Cape’s growth potential.
“This event is not only a celebration of Toyota Industrial Equipment in the Eastern Cape and of our commitment to building partnerships for life, but also an opportunity for us to celebrate the rich heritage of this region,” he said.