Answered by Peggy Horkan, Marketing Communications Manager, www.kubota.com
How long has your company been involved in the landscaping industry?
Kubota Tractor Corporation (KTC) was formed in 1972, three years after introducing the Kubota 21-horsepower L200 compact tractor to fill a void in the American market. To proactively meet the changing needs of the landscaping industry, every day we leverage our 80 years of experience designing equipment around high-performance Kubota engines, which are known throughout the world for being efficient and environmentally friendly.
What kinds of after-sale support or training do you or your distribution network offer?
Kubota has a U.S. network of more than 1,000 authorized dealers to ensure that landscapers have the service support they want and need. These dealers are an excellent resource for helping set up routine-maintenance schedules, providing training that helps users operate equipment safely and offering additional educational support. Kubota dealers are happy to customize after-sale support and training to meet customers’ needs, which can occur at the dealership itself or on-site with a customer’s landscaping crew. In addition, Kubota’s network of dealers can provide safety-education materials that can be integrated easily into training programs for landscaping employees.
Just as important – even before the purchase is made, our local dealers work hard to ensure that the Kubota tractor purchased is the right piece of equipment for the job. For example, they can help landscapers considering a mower purchase evaluate important parameters like the type and size of terrain to be mowed, plans for mower maintenance, whether attachments will be used and budget requirements.
What trends do you see affecting the future of the landscaping market and how will your company address them?
Whether choosing efficient, diesel-powered equipment or water-wise landscapes, people throughout the country continue to look for environmentally friendly products. This dovetails with one of Kubota’s four fundamentals – to provide energy-efficient products.
At the same time, increasingly complex landscape designs means that equipment must have great maneuverability. That’s why we just introduced the Kubota ZD-300 series of zero-turn commercial mowers to provide more commercial power, durability and performance. Operators appreciate the proven tractor technology Kubota has built into this new series, which is loaded with features to make the turf professional’s job easier and more efficient. And, they use 30 percent less fuel while providing from 21 to 31 horsepower and extraordinary maneuverability.
People are also transforming their outdoor-living spaces into areas for entertaining family and friends, which is a great avenue for professional landscapers to work hand-in-hand with clients on designs. High-performance, labor-saving Kubota equipment – such as the new Grand L40 compact tractor – are ideal for executing these plans with success.
As trends change, however, you can trust that Kubota will remain focused on the same fundamentals that have guided us since 1922: high performance, energy efficiency, labor saving and respect for humanity. These fit remarkably well with what’s important to professional landscapers and their clients, and position Kubota to provide equipment and service to truly help meet their needs.
