IRVINE, Calif., (May 9, 2005) - Toyota Material Handling, U.S.A., Inc. (TMHU), the number one selling lift truck supplier in the U.S., has recently been ranked number one in both quality and value by purchasers of material handling equipment in an independent research study conducted by Reed Research Group.

Reed Research Group, a third party researcher specializing in business-to-business and business-to-consumer surveys, polled more than 600 readers of Modern Materials Handling magazine to discover Toyota placed number one in overall quality and number one in overall value.

"We're pleased consumers rank Toyota as No. 1," said Dr. Shankar Basu, CEO and president of TMHU. "In this extremely competitive industry, it is an honor to be recognized for providing the highest quality lift trucks that provide the best value."

This year, Toyota expanded its offering of quality lift trucks with the addition of a new Electric Narrow Aisle Order Picker, Electric Pallet Trucks and a CNG option. Toyota’s lift trucks have been the number one selling lift trucks in the United States for the last three years. Toyota also is the largest supplier of lift trucks in the world.

TMHU is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., and offers a full line of high-quality lift trucks sold under the Toyota brand. Built on a reputation for excellence, Toyota is known for its quality, reliability and dependability. Most of the Toyota lift trucks sold in the United States are manufactured in Columbus, Ind.

Toyota’s commitment to excellence in customer service extends nationwide. Seventy authorized Toyota Industrial Equipment dealers with a total of 186 dealership locations throughout the United States offer comprehensive customer service support, including one-stop shopping for both new and Certified Used lift trucks, parts, service and financing. For more information on TMHU, please visit www.toyotaforklift.com or call 1-800-226-0009.