1. What is your background and role at Kubota?
I grew up on a farm where I learned firsthand how to operate and repair machinery. I hold a degree in Agricultural Engineering from Cornell University and have been in the industry for 36 years, with Kubota for 19 of those years. My move to Kubota was motivated by the outstanding culture that lives in the Kubota network.
2. What’s new and exciting with Kubota’s construction equipment?
Kubota will enter the exciting "stand-on compact loader" market in late 2020 with the SCL1000. This machine is the result of the professional collaboration of Land Pride and Kubota and will have the Kubota look and feel of high quality.
3. State of the industry – how has manufacturing reacted to the changing global business environment during the pandemic?
2020 has brought new challenges, no doubt. However, Kubota has remained strong and motivated and we are prouder than ever for our network of dealerships, who continue to show incredible resilience. We are working hard to keep your jobsites working across the country.
Through the end of May, we saw the compact excavator and compact track loader markets were down by 3.5%. However, our "slow down decisions" in March were short lived as the market began climbing back in April and May, so things are currently looking up again.
4. How has Kubota continued to support its construction dealers and end-users?
As an essential business, Kubota did not close its doors during the pandemic. Kubota dealers adapted quickly and almost all Kubota dealers remained open for business. Adjustments to parts, service and rental were made to manage customer and employee safety. As an employee of a great company, I am very proud that we also adapted and, whether working from home offices or the corporate offices, we gave full-time support to our dealers.
5. Anything else you’d like to share?
Kubota is not an assuming company. We enjoy designing, manufacturing, selling and supporting our own equipment. We have excellent engineers who manage all aspects of the machine to make sure that we stay smooth, quiet and powerful. We also have a very strong dealer organization in all 50 states to provide parts and service support to the machines we build and the customers who trust us with their business. At Kubota, we pride ourselves in working for you and earning your business.