Tractor News Kubota - Made in the USA

[weldermike]

Way back in 1989 I was a salesman for a John Deere dealership. We carried 3 lines of tractors; The 650 -1650 were Yanmars and sold very well. The 50-55 series were Mannheim,Germany built and slightly overlapped in features/horsepower both the Yanmars and the USA tractors [which went on well above 100 hp.] Our implements came from all over the world. It got interesting watching our customers check the stickers and build plates!! I tried to determine what their actual needs were first and went from there. [Had lunch with the Kubota ,IH and Ford salesmen about once a week..the stories were great at that table!]

So does that mean you just told people whatever they wanted to hear about buying and supporting american products. I wouldnt brag about that.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Way back in 1989 I was a salesman for a John Deere dealership. We carried 3 lines of tractors; The 650 -1650 were Yanmars and sold very well. The 50-55 series were Mannheim,Germany built and slightly overlapped in features/horsepower both the Yanmars and the USA tractors [which went on well above 100 hp.] Our implements came from all over the world. It got interesting watching our customers check the stickers and build plates!! I tried to determine what their actual needs were first and went from there. [Had lunch with the Kubota ,IH and Ford salesmen about once a week..the stories were great at that table!]

So does that mean you just told people whatever they wanted to hear about buying and supporting american products. I wouldnt brag about that.

weldermike: I don't see anywhere in what he said that he told people whatever they wanted to hear. Where did you come up with that?? Reading between the lines?

 

[weldermike]

Maybe dug a little to deep. Wasnt sure what he meant by people reading stickers and build plates, then went from there. Sounded like a real salesman..

 

[hank193]

Well,Weldermike, I'm sorry if you got that impression . Telling a customer a lie will come back and hurt the salesman , his dealership and his product. A good reputation takes time to build and will bring in business like nothing else.

 

[weldermike]

I hear ya hank, read into it a little to deep. Too late and too bored!

 

[hank193]

I have no idea why I'm up so late either. Except I'm new to this board and its got some neat stuff on it.
I 've hijacked enough...going to bed..G'night all.

 

[drivadesl]

I worked for a us company owned by a japanese parent company back in the 90s. This gave me opportunity to visit a number of Japanese microelectronic plants, and learn the Japanese philosophy of doing business as well. Don't want to bore you to much with this, but saw first hand the loyalty they had amongst themselves, their vendors, and Japan as a nation. The plants I visited were large production facilities (in the order of 50k sq ft roughly it's been a while) packed with state of the art, highdollar, equipment. What struck me was almost every piece of equipment from the HVAC,piping, process, vacuum, deposition, raw materials, down to office supplies, and shipping companies. (nippon Express, i swear) were all Japanese companies. A plant like this would cost hundreds of millions of dollars or more to build and outfit, so you can see where the capital investment money ended up and it wasn't the US. The Japanese philosophy was to be loyal to their business partners, and to maintain business with select companies in order to leverage costs.

So I'm clear, this isn't meant to be anti Japan or anything, and don't want it to turn into that type discussion.. It's a good thing thing for the US when plants employ our workers and create jobs. I just wanted to point out what I experienced with similar situations of Japanese companies setting up shop in the US. Theres more to it than what It appears.

 

[karverind]

50 % of JD's plants are in the U.S. and 50% are elsewhere. The same can't be said for many other manufacturers.

BTW, most of JD's engines are built in Mexico.

It's nice to see jobs coming to America though:thumbsup:

Thats odd.......I was in their Waterloo ENGINE plant just a week ago.....

Some engines are made in Mexico, but not most

 

[Martian]

Thats odd.......I was in their Waterloo ENGINE plant just a week ago.....

Some engines are made in Mexico, but not most

Skimmed right by that, I looked at the Wikipedia page just too make sure I didn't tally wrong but it seems I have. I guess I should say that the Mexico plant is engines only. Here's the link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Deere&mobileaction=disable_mobile_site

 

[art]

I've had time to read several books that helped out quit a bit in the American, Japan quality issues. I started with Lee Iaccoa's book, then do to references to made in Japan and I won't even attempt to spell the writers name although his association was with Sony and then to Henry Fords book.

At the end of WWII all US purchasers wanted from Japan was low end. So that is what they bought to be distributed here. Sony never got in to being re-badged, ego or what ever they were proud of what they built and to rigid standards.

The way they built was to an american that we sent there because american manufacturing was high on itself for past accomplishments and didn't feel the need to follow his advice. Maybe we should have listened to him and keep him here as we might have a few more manufacture's here!

JD is looking for new markets but also to fill the newest market in this country and that being the compact tractor market with their latest factories in India and China.

I still like as a dealer to be working close to the people who build the equipment for my customers sake of parts availability in twenty years plus. We have seen where different companies go through a separation and then have parts issues down the road so we try to say close to the manufacture to not have this issue.

When I see people buying some makes it just makes me cringe knowing some of the problems some of the brands have had after changes in the corporate end. I do look at things differently as many of our customers use their equipment to make a living so 30 days plus of down time is not an option!