Investing in innovation & development for a more sustainable future
The world of logistics is changing fast. Technological opportunities that arise in the logistics sector impact businesses and society now, tomorrow, and beyond. We are committed to leading that change by investing in innovation and sustainable solutions.
We move. We change.
Embracing innovation isn't just an option, it's the launchpad for businesses and society to thrive. That is why, in the coming years, we will increase our investments in research and development. This will have a significant, positive impact on our entire company and will equally affect our customers. We will develop new products and services at an ever-increasing pace and boost efficiency with new processes and more sophisticated ways of working.
'Innovation is the key to staying relevant in a world of logistics that is becoming more complex than ever, and it is changing at a speed we have never seen before.'
Hans Larsson
Director Strategic Innovation at Toyota Material Handling Europe
Innovation starts with insights
Which trends and developments will shape the future of logistics? That’s the vital question.
To monitor, understand and anticipate, we have created the “Trend Radar”. Here, we analyse trends in business, logistics and technology from different perspectives and timeframes. We consult many and various high-quality sources, creating insights that allow us and our customers to make well-informed decisions.
Great ideas come out of the blue
Blue is the designated colour of our innovation concepts and prototypes. It represents cutting edge thinking and technology, ground-breaking industrial design and – most importantly – an ambition to move the boundaries of what is possible. Whether it is on the drawing board or in a testing facility, when you see one of our “innovation blue”, you know that this concept will someday soon have a real impact in the world around you.
Human engineering and artificial intelligence (AI) coming together in design isn’t just a partnership, it’s a game changer. Representing the new frontier of industrial design, our engineers seek to optimise the structural design of our products by using cutting-edge AI algorithms, resulting in a unique harmony of strength and durability, not compromising on capacity while taking away excess material where possible.
With our A.I. TeamDelivery concept, we share our vision on what the world of (intra)logistics and e-commerce could look like. For the last-mile delivery, our design team created a self driving delivery vehicle called ‘Urban Runner’. This delivery vehicle, although only recently designed, already won an iF DESIGN AWARD.
Building ecosystems with partners
Building new partnerships and collaborative ecosystems is crucial to us:
- Logiconomi - A unique communication platform for logistics professionals
Logiconomi is created to host presentations and discussions on trends, innovations and technologies in the world of logistics. - IndX - A unique collaboration in the search for innovative ideas
IndX is our open innovation arena to partner with entrepreneurs and start-ups, to come up with new innovative ideas in emerging technologies. - Log!Ville - Experience centre for logistics & innovation
Log!Ville focusses on promoting innovation in the logistics ecosystem, where we are one of the six founding partners. - Fraunhofer - Leading German institute for research
Fraunhofer is a large research organisation, with high focus on logistics. They prioritise key technologies for the future and commercialise their findings in business and industry.
A mindset turning blue into orange
We turn great ideas into great products. Whenever that happens, our “innovation blue” prototypes become the “Toyota Material Handling orange” products known and used all over the world. This shift represents the core of our business – our ability to nurture and develop ideas all the way from the drawing board to the final on-site implementation.
'Innovation is about creating value in novel ways. Every day we are working with cutting-edge technologies, but innovation is so much more than that. It is about developing a deep understanding of our customers and the problems they face and challenging the current state with new solutions. That's what turns a blue truck into an orange one.'
Johan Brynås
Head of Research and Innovation at Toyota Material Handling Europe
Our R&D focus is on a more sustainable future
The future is shaped by innovation in automation, connectivity and productivity. We can contribute to a more sustainable society by developing the safest and most energy-efficient logistics solutions possible. We do that by focusing on technology with the highest potential for positive change.
The logistics sector faces some real challenges delivering the EU Green deal plan, aimed at remodeling the EU's climate, energy, transport and taxation policies to cut net emissions of greenhouse gases with 90% by 2050. Besides environmental challenges, UN SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) and the EU ESRS reporting framework also include social matters and corporate governance as business considerations. Here, partnerships are crucial as no organisation can work towards a sustainable future alone.
To stay at the forefront, we need to monitor all developments that impact the world of logistics, which of course means making sustainability an integral part of our business approach.
The right talent makes all the difference
We want to strengthen our profile of world leader in logistics – a leader actively investing in a sustainable future. In our campaign “MOVE the future”, we highlight the opportunities we offer as employer, the technologies we’re spearheading and the talent that makes this possible. And perhaps above all – this approach will shape us as a workplace for those who feel right at home working in technology and like to be at the forefront of innovation.
Achieving this requires the right mindset. At our manufacturing facilities in Milan, Bologna, Ferrara, Gothenburg and Mjölby, for instance, we keep growing the number of engineers and technicians wanting to grow with us and make a difference for our customers, today and in the future.