I think its a good time to write up about the originator of the Toyota Land Cruiser in Australia.
The person that lead the charge was "Sir Leslie Thiess"
1958 Les Thiess secured 13 land cruisers in an initial shipment, “most” of which worked on the Snowy Mountains Scheme but not all.
Sir Leslie Thiess, head of Thiess Constructions, was impressed by the “privately imported Land Cruisers” working on his Tumut Ponds site.
Sir Les Thiess went over to Japan in a visit to Japan’s coal and steel companies as well as looking into the purchase of US Army surplus equipment. Thiess Company which was Thiess Holdings Limited a very large company working on construction as well as coal mining had authorized the purchase of this equipment. While there he was in a sense selling coal to many different Japanese steel mills.
While in Japan he talked to Toyota president Eiji Toyoda directly. Against the advice of the Thiess Holdings Board he put up $40,000 of his own money and ordered 25 and secured distributor rights in 07/1959.
From Toyota: "The Thiess Brothers Sales Corperation and Distributer of Australia went into contract in 07/1959."
Before the years end in 59, dealers had been appointed in 22 centers throughout the state this interest had exceeded Les’s expectations.
The Land Cruiser product went on sale in the Australian market through Thiess (sales) Pty Ltd. with the 1st shipment of 25 vehicles. This is the "First Toyota Land Cruiser sold in Australia" slogan comes into play.
The person that lead the charge was "Sir Leslie Thiess"
1958 Les Thiess secured 13 land cruisers in an initial shipment, “most” of which worked on the Snowy Mountains Scheme but not all.
Sir Leslie Thiess, head of Thiess Constructions, was impressed by the “privately imported Land Cruisers” working on his Tumut Ponds site.
Sir Les Thiess went over to Japan in a visit to Japan’s coal and steel companies as well as looking into the purchase of US Army surplus equipment. Thiess Company which was Thiess Holdings Limited a very large company working on construction as well as coal mining had authorized the purchase of this equipment. While there he was in a sense selling coal to many different Japanese steel mills.
While in Japan he talked to Toyota president Eiji Toyoda directly. Against the advice of the Thiess Holdings Board he put up $40,000 of his own money and ordered 25 and secured distributor rights in 07/1959.
From Toyota: "The Thiess Brothers Sales Corperation and Distributer of Australia went into contract in 07/1959."
Before the years end in 59, dealers had been appointed in 22 centers throughout the state this interest had exceeded Les’s expectations.
The Land Cruiser product went on sale in the Australian market through Thiess (sales) Pty Ltd. with the 1st shipment of 25 vehicles. This is the "First Toyota Land Cruiser sold in Australia" slogan comes into play.
