Toyota Industries Corporation Strengthens Logistics Solutions Business

― Acquires viastore, a Germany-Based Logistics System Integrator ―

Toyota Industries Corporation (President: Akira Onishi; "Toyota Industries") has reached an agreement with the shareholders of viastore^*1, a Germany-based logistics system integrator^*2, to acquire the company in order to strengthen its Logistics Solutions Business.

In recent years, the demand for logistics automation has been on the rise due to the rapid growth of the e-commerce market and labor shortages. Automation is already advancing at large-scale distribution centers of major e-commerce companies. Toyota Industries, mainly through its Netherlands-based subsidiary Vanderlande Industries Holding B.V., has been providing extensive solutions to automate logistics processes from the arrival to shipment of goods.

Meanwhile, the global market is expected to expand in the future as the need for automation is increasing in some specific processes of small and medium-sized distribution centers. Given the circumstances and potential of this market environment, viastore, which has strengths in small and medium-sized automation, is welcomed as a valued member of the Toyota Industries Group.

viastore engages in in-house development of software for controlling and managing automated storage and retrieval systems and various materials handling equipment in addition to providing its products to a wide range of sectors from retail to manufacturing, logistics and food. In particular, it has strengths in automation that links multiple processes such as storage and transportation with optimal materials handling equipment and software, garnering high acclaim in the market.

Through collaboration with viastore, Toyota Industries aims to further expand its business by providing customers with a wide range of solutions that utilize viastore's integration capabilities to meet logistics automation needs primarily in the European and North American market.

*1	A collective name for four companies: viastore SYSTEMS GmbH, viastore SOFTWARE GmbH, viastore International GmbH and Buck Engineering GmbH
*2	A form of business that provides solutions to customers' logistics issues as a logistics system by combining software with materials handling equipment either developed in-house or procured externally in accordance with customer requirements.

1. Overview of acquisition

1) Acquisition method	Acquisition of all shares by a European subsidiary
2) Planned acquisition date	After July 2022

2. Overview of viastore

1) Head office	Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
2) Establishment	1889
3) Business activities	Integration of logistic systems
4) Sales (Jan.-Dec. 2021)	139 million euro (Approx. 18.0 billion yen^*3)
5) Bases	9 bases in 8 countries (Germany, Spain, France, Russia, Czech Republic, U.S.A., Mexico, Brazil)
6) Number of employees	602 (as of Dec. 31, 2021)
7) Shareholder	Cetus GmbH (holding company)
*3 Calculated at the rate of 1 euro = 130 yen

3. Other

Execution of the acquisition requires approval by antitrust authorities and to meet other general preconditions.

Please see the following site for further information on viastore.
https://www.viastore.com/systems/en