Curating Parts
Curating parts – an exhibition that later travelled to Southern Sweden Design Days in Malmö – staged a series of objects, products and installations created by students in Industrial Design at Lund University using discarded, recycled parts and leftovers from the production or refurbishment of forklifts in collaboration with Toyota Material Handling. The story behind it is "exploring options" and the possible future life of leftover parts to create new everyday objects, such as clocks, glassware, or a turntable.
Claus-Christian Eckhardt, Industrial Designer and Professor at Lund University, is very positive about the collaboration: “After a short brainstorm in Lund we came up with the idea to see if we could repurpose old forklift parts – from an experimental standpoint, and an artistic point of view. We also wanted to question if it makes sense at all looking at from a sustainability angle. That’s what makes the project so interesting for us.“
Looking ahead, the professor hopes the collaboration can be extended to further examine the reusability of materials in services and logistics systems. “At Milan Design Week,” he adds, “I’m looking for courage, for companies that are one step ahead of certain trends and have the courage to do things differently.”
In that case, you’re definitely talking to the right people, Claus-Christian.
Partner Spotlight: 76 Industrial Graphics
During Milan Design Week 2024, Toyota Material Handling Design Center had a blast hosting a talk with our long-time adhesive graphics supplier, 76 Industrial Graphics. We shared stories about our 20-year journey together, showing how we've gone from a simple supplier-client setup to a dynamic partnership filled with co-design and research. To keep things fun, we also hosted a sushi-themed refreshment and networking event, where guests could mingle and enjoy delicious bites. Plus, we wowed everyone with a live demonstration of wrapping one of our power pallet trucks, showcasing the creativity and precision of our collaboration.
Visit 76 Industrial Graphics here: HOME - 76 INDUSTRIAL GRAPHICS
2024 Toyota Logistic Design Competition Finalists Featured in Milan Design Week Exhibition
The 2024 Toyota Logistics Design Competition (TLDC) finalists have been announced, showcasing a range of innovative and forward-thinking projects from talented designers around the world. This year's finalists impressed the judges with their creative solutions to logistics challenges, focusing on sustainability, efficiency, and cutting-edge technology. Each project demonstrated a unique approach to improving logistics operations, whether through new equipment designs, smarter software, or more effective processes. The finalists had the opportunity to display their groundbreaking work at the Milan Design Week exhibition, where they represented the best in design ingenuity and practical application, setting a high standard for future competitions and the logistics industry as a whole.
Toyota Material Handling meets Street Art in Milano
During Milan Design Week 2024, Toyota Material Handling joined forces with Italian street artist Bensone to create something truly special. Bensone turned Toyota's material handling equipment into colorful, moving artworks. This collaboration showed how industrial machines can also be fun and artistic. The event caught the attention of both design lovers and the general public, making a big impression at Milan Design Week as a place where creativity and practicality meet.
During his 2 day artistic residence at the Toyota Material Handling Europe Design Center exhibition, the artist Ennio Sitta, in art: Bensone, has proceeded to decorate 2 used Toyota Hand Pallet Trucks, that have been sourced from the market and repainted for the occasion, acquiring a new life as artworks. Ennio’s free style doodle art focused on the themes brought forth by our Toyota values, the visions for the future and the way we do things.