Companies in the News: Awards and updates from Yanmar, Jobber, Stihl and more

Yanmar Compact Equipment and ASV broke ground on a 32,000-square-foot expansion to its Grand Rapids, Minn., facility. (Photo: Yanmar)

Yanmar breaks ground on a 32,000-square-foot expansion

Yanmar Compact Equipment and ASV broke ground on a 32,000-square-foot expansion to its Grand Rapids, Minn., facility. The companies said the expansion will greatly increase manufacturing capacity.

The expansion will allow for the manufacturing of Yanmar’s recently announced compact track loaders while continuing to manufacture ASV compact track loaders at the same facility. Additionally, company executives project the addition of hundreds of jobs in the next five years.

The new section will house a paint system that will increase paint capacity by up to three times. It will also boost parts manufacturing capacity by up to two times in the previously occupied space. The new powder paint system will be more efficient and have less environmental impact.

Husqvarna Ventures invests in Angsa Robotics

Husqvarna Group invests $2.7 USD in Angsa Robotics, a Munich-based startup disrupting automated waste collection in green spaces. The investment by Husqvarna Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of Husqvarna Group, aims to accelerate the development and commercialization of Angsa’s robotics platform.

Angsa Robotics’ autonomous solution, provides an AI-adaptive robot for waste collection in green spaces with the ability to navigate autonomously, detect obstacles and collect litter.

ZeroNox and Kubota Corporation partner for future product development

ZeroNox, a manufacturer of sustainable, off-highway vehicle electrification, entered a product development agreement with Kubota Corp. in Japan. Under the terms of the agreement, ZeroNox and KBT entered a product development agreement to electrify select undisclosed products.

“Our new partnership with Kubota is an exciting step forward in our efforts to provide greater access to eco-friendly off-highway vehicles and equipment around the world,” Vonn R. Christenson, CEO of ZeroNox, said. “Kubota will be a valuable partner for us to drive growth in the off-highway vehicle electrification space. Both companies are driven by a vision for a more sustainable future, and we are proud to have this opportunity to provide electrification solutions for a partner dedicated to advancing eco-friendly solutions in such critical areas of the global economy.”

Stihl named ‘weather visionary’ by The Weather Company

The Weather Company’s exhibit at this year’s Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity recognized Stihl as a “weather visionary.” The Weather Company, an IBM Business, features a Stihl social media campaign that leverages artificial intelligence to deploy targeted social ads to inform consumers on the best time to maximize their outdoor projects and prepare their yards for different types of weather.

“Weather is the original influencer and controls so much of what we can and can’t do outside,” said Les Robinson, social media manager for Stihl. “By partnering with the world’s most accurate weather forecaster, The Weather Company, we harnessed the technology to provide people with information to help them maximize their projects to improve their lives.”

By activating video assets via both current and forecasted “Clear Skies,” “Warm and Sunny” and “No Precipitation” weather triggers across Meta, Stihl said it saw improved ad performance year over year. Most significant were video completion rates, which increased by 113 percent. Reach increased by 61 percent, link clicks increased by 3 percent, and traffic increased to the company’s website.

Jobber launches podcast

Jobber launched “Masters of Home Service,” a podcast dedicated to featuring real-life experts in home service entrepreneurship including lawn care and more. The podcast will cover a variety of topics at an in-depth, seasoned business level, from hiring and customer service, to marketing and increasing profits, as it is designed to provide value regardless of your industry.

Adam Sylvester, owner of Charlottesville Gutter Pros and Charlottesville Lawn Care, will host the podcast. Silver started his businesses more than 15 years ago. Each episode will provide practical tips for entrepreneurs at all stages on scaling and improving your home service business, and advice for leveling up your management and leadership skills.

The episodes are available now at Jobber.com/podcast, across streaming platforms such as Spotfiy and Apple Podcasts, and on YouTube.

Future episodes will tackle the following topics:

• Running multiple businesses.
• When to add new lines of services an how to package and price them.
• Most important hires to scale your business.
• Understanding CAC and cost acquisition tactics.
• Ensuring consistent work quality through process and training.
• Working with family.
• Hiring best practices.
• How to cut operating expenses.
• Recession-proofing your business.

ASV launched its first product in 1983, a pick-up-sized rubber-tracked vehicle called the Track Truck. (Photo: ASV)

ASV celebrates 40th anniversary

ASV celebrated its 40th anniversary with an open house event at its Grand Rapids, Minn., facility earlier this month. The event featured a full lineup of legacy and new ASV models, factory tours and more.

The company started in 1983 and it developed a pick-up-sized rubber-tracked vehicle called the Track Truck. The company developed the first Posi-Track rubber-tracked compact track loader in 1990. The Posi-Track loaders’ undercarriages improved quickly, with innovations like a single-rail design, metal-face sealed wheels and internal drive-sprockets.

“Talk to any of our longtime staff — and there are many — and you’ll find that the same passion for the products exists now as it did on day one,” said Tate Johnson, president of the Yanmar Compact Equipment North America.

Bobcat sponsors Park and Recreation Month

Bobcat Co. sponsors Park and Recreation Month. The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) celebrates Park and Recreation Month every July to promote building strong, vibrant and resilient communities through parks and recreation areas and to recognize the more than 160,000 full-time park and recreation professionals — along with hundreds of thousands of part-time and seasonal workers and volunteers.

“This year we are celebrating 65 years, and as we reflect on our rich history, we are also envisioning how we can build a better, more sustainable future,” said Mike Ballweber, Doosan Bobcat North America president. “Through our partnership with NRPA and our sponsorship of Park and Recreation Month, we aim to build stronger communities for a better tomorrow.”

Bobcat has also partnered with NRPA to extend five grants, each worth $50,000, to support five park improvement projects in designated communities throughout the U.S.

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Have promotions or updates about your team? Send it to Editor Christina Herrick at cherrick@northcoastmedia.net, and we’ll feature it in an upcoming Companies in the News.