Toyota Material Handling Europe (TMHE) has begun operation of a high-tech new, environmentally designed painting facility at its powered warehouse equipment factory in Mjölby, Sweden.
The 5,000 square metre development is designed for excellent energy efficiency and minimum environmental impact. Wash water is heated by the local district heating system rather than with LPG – reducing the factory’s CO2 emissions, since the Mjölby municipal system uses incineration of biomass. In addition, waste water from the washing system is treated and reused, meaning that no sewage is generated. 
The high-tech, eco-efficient paint shop features a two-level conveyor system and four paint booths – three robotic and one manual. The whole facility is set up to deliver a high-quality paint finish with maximum efficiency and minimum waste in line with the Toyota Production System (TPS) approach used at TMHE’s production centres. The Mjölby site had already converted to powder-based paints in the past to eliminate volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions.
Håkan Schill, Vice President Supply at Toyota Material Handling Europe says: “Toyota Material Handling Europe is committed to sustainable manufacturing of high-quality materials handling products. The advanced new paint facility at our Mjölby factory demonstrates our aim to limit environmental impact throughout the product life cycle – from product development and manufacturing through to operation and recycling at end of life.”
The new paint facility began operation in November 2009 and includes a new building, goods department, district heating centre and numerous environmental enhancements. The EUR 11 million (SEK 116 million) investment is one of the largest in BT history.
The TMHE production centre in Mjölby produces a full range of powered warehouse equipment including reach trucks, order pickers, stackers, powered pallet trucks and very narrow aisle trucks (VNAs), as well as hand pallet trucks.
