Toyota hosting ceremony for new plant groundbreaking

Toyota Material Handling is planning to break ground later this month on a major expansion along Deaver Road in Columbus, with estimates of a $100 million dollar investment.

The company says it is planning to expand at the 65-acre site across the road from its existing Walesboro location because there is not enough space there. The expansion will allow the company to meet growing demand for its products, especially electrical forklifts.

Company executives told city officials earlier this year that the company has four manufacturing sites in North America, and evaluated all of them for the project, but would prefer to grow here. The company is planning a 295,000 square foot expansion and would start production in June of 2026.

Toyota has nearly 2,100 workers in Columbus and the new factory would start with 85 employees.

Earlier this year, Columbus officials approved the rezoning of the property from agricultural to industrial use and annexed it into the city limits.

The groundbreaking ceremony is set for the morning of Wednesday May 29th.