Toyota Makes Management Changes

Toyota Industrial Equipment Mfg. Inc., (TIEM) the Columbus, Ind., plant responsible for manufacturing the majority of Toyota lift trucks sold in the U.S., has named two new vice presidents. Tom DePalma is vice president of quality assurance for both TIEM and Toyota Material Handling North America (TMHNA). Tim Barker is vice president of corporate services for TIEM and Toyota Industries North America, Inc. (TINA).

“These executives have important roles to ensure Toyota’s leadership in product quality, as well as environmental health and safety,” said Kazue Sasaki, former president of TIEM and current president of Toyota Material Handling Group. “I was proud to appoint them to their well-deserved positions before I returned to Japan. Their expertise will be very helpful to TIEM’s new president, Toshiya Yamagishi.”

DePalma is responsible for all aspects of product quality at TMHNA, a company comprised of TIEM; TMHNA; and The Raymond Corp., a provider of electric lift trucks in North America. He has been in the material handling business for nearly three decades. Prior to joining Toyota in 1997, he held several positions at Clark Material Handling Co. and NACCO Materials Handling Group, Inc., respectively. Prior to his current position at Toyota, he served as senior manager, quality assurance for TIEM and quality leader for TMHNA.

Barker is responsible for the ongoing activities of several departments at TIEM including human resources; environmental health and safety; payroll; training and development; general affairs; customs compliance; building and grounds; and security. In addition, he is responsible for corporate services at TINA, a holding company. Barker joined TIEM in 1990. Prior to his current position, he served as senior manager of corporate services for TIEM and senior manager of human resources for TINA.

Celebrating more than 40 years of established operations in the United States, Irvine, Calif.-based Toyota Material Handling, U.S.A., Inc., is the supplier of a full line of high-quality lift trucks sold under the Toyota brand. In addition, the company’s extended industrial equipment solutions include Aichi aerial work lifts—scissor lifts, crawler, and wheeled boom lifts—Automated Guided Vehicles, and electric and diesel tow tractors.