On a Growth Trajectory Hessian Agricultural Machinery Contractors Visit Kubota Deutschland
On the occasion of their annual meeting, the Hessian Agricultural Machinery Contractors recently visited the German branch of the agricultural technology manufacturer Kubota in Rodgau/Nieder-Roden, Germany. “Measured in sales and employees, Kubota’s worldwide dimensions are similar to those of Agco and Claas put together,” reported Bernd Friedle, since the beginning of the year Kubota’s new Sales Director, Agriculture for Germany. The Japanese “big player” in the agricultural technology sector is known for its reliable technology and its products’ good value for the money. Friedle used figures from the US tractor market to demonstrate this: “For years, we have had a market share of over 20% in the ‘up to 100 HP’ segment.”
Focus on Europe
The Japanese specialists for agricultural technology want to continue their growth in Europe as well. At the end of 2013, the company announced its intention to build a new tractor factory in Dunkirk, France. Starting in 2015, a completely new series of machines ranging from 125 to 175 HP will be manufactured there with components made in Japan and Germany.
The tractor and motor manufacturer also aims to expand its position in the German market. For this purpose, sales specialist Friedle is currently expanding his sales and marketing team. “The second phase is to give our dealer network a clearer structure and continually expand it by adding strong partners. We also plan to place at least one Kubota tractor in each German agricultural machinery contracting company. To reach this goal, we will be offering attractive conditions,” he explained to the agricultural machinery contractors.
During a tour of the German sales branch, host Bernd Friedle, together with Wolfgang Feuerstein (responsible for logistics, transportation and parts) showed the agricultural machinery contractors the production facilities in which the machines for the German market are finished. Here, components such as lighting, trailer coupling, front hydraulic system, tires, etc. are installed according to each customer’s specifications. Then an exhaustive check is implemented before the machine leaves the factory.
Kubota achieves the high availability of parts for its products in Germany with an extensive central parts warehouse. “This is how we compensate for the long transportation distance from our plants in Japan,” concluded the sales director between the large palette racks. At the end of the factory tour, Hans-Dieter Levihn, president of the Hessian Agricultural Machinery Contractors, thanked the hosts for the talks, product presentation and factory tour.