This thread is an interesting read. As a happy owner of a Korean made tractor I can reassure NH fans that you really don't have anything to worry about with regard to quality. Korean manufacturers are state of the art these days and it is only the lingering perception of higher Japanese quality that has caused some folks to see the Korean machines as inferior. Consider the analagous situation with Hyundai vs the Japanese car manufacturers. Hyundai may have been a joke ten or fifteen years ago but they are now winning Car of the Year awards and are providing not only good value but great quality. The president of Honda commented publicly a month ago how everyone in the car business admires what Hyundai has done. Go drive a 2011 Hyundai Sonata and compare it to the equivalent Camry or Accord if want to see what he is talking about. And, it is not just cars. Korea has some of the world's most advanced steel plants and is now probably the most efficient and modern civilian shipyards anywhere. Samsung also used to be a second rate joke also but is now every bit as innovative and high quality as Sony. And, Samsung is far more profitable.
Bottom line, NH fans should not worry. Korean built products are rapidly becoming not only the best value but are becoming the best available period. The Japanese are struggling with costs and profitability the same way that the US manufacturers did in the 70's. That inevitably hurts innovation and quality. Witness the recent debacle at Toyota and the stagnation at Sony. If the Koreans can deliver the same or even better quality or features for less money then they will do to Japan what Japan did to us a few decades ago. As global manufacturing trends inevitably shift due to market forces, Korea is already well positioned to be the next Japan as the source of innovative high quality goods. Seems pretty clear that is exactly what is happening and that NH is just following that trend just as Bobcat did a couple of years ago.
I think it will be very interesting to see what Kubota does over the next decade to maintain their well deserved lead in the CUT market. The Korean companies have already shown they can produce comparable tractors at lower cost and therefore offer greater value to the customer. Compare the cost and features of a Kioti DK35se or Bobcat CT335 (same machine, different paint) to the Kubota
L3400. No contest considering they sell for about the same amount. Customer loyalty will keep Kubota afloat for quite a while but they clearly need to adapt. They will need more than just an extensive dealer network and return customers to compete in the CUT market if NH and other well established companies start importing lower cost but equal quality machines to the market. I admire Kubota and hope they don't bury their heads in the sand the way GM did in the 70's when faced with foreign competition. Maybe they'll start manufacturing in Korea too.:thumbsup:
If you have any lingering doubts about the quality of Korean tractors, come visit us on the Kioti or Bobcat forums.
