Takeuchi-US recently celebrated its 1,000th compact track loader – a TL12R2 model – manufactured at its Moore, S.C., facility. The 156,000-square-foot production facility is Takeuchi’s first in North America and began assembling compact track loaders on Sept. 22, 2022.

“It’s been quite a journey so far,” said Jeff Stewart, president of Takeuchi-US. “Bringing our track loader production to the U.S., while exciting for all of us, required a great deal of planning and collaboration. From locating the right location here in Moore to bringing in all the necessary production equipment to hiring new employees in a tight labor market, it was truly a team effort. The fact that it took us less than seven months to produce our 1000th machine is remarkable.”

The company previously produced track loaders at one of its factories in the Nagano province of Japan. Takeuchi said after seeing the North American market’s growing demand for compact track loaders over time, the company chose to begin assembling these machines in the U.S.

“We started out with just 10 employees at this facility a few short months ago,” said Ralph Wabnitz, director of manufacturing for Takeuchi-US. “Today, we have 117 on staff, with a goal of 140 by the end of 2023. Our plan is to assemble all Takeuchi CTL models here in Moore by the end of 2023. I’m very proud of what our team here has accomplished, and I look forward to seeing what new milestones we’re able to achieve in the months and years ahead.”

Bobcat unveils 2023 Dealer Leadership Group

Bobcat recently announced its 2023 Dealer Leadership Group. The 16 Bobcat dealerships honored this year are the company’s highest-performing dealers in North America according to its Dealer Performance Review.

“As a result of their excellent performance and demonstrated commitment to exceeding customer expectations, these dealers are being honored for their outstanding work,” said Jeremy Holck, vice president of sales for Doosan Bobcat North America. “Year in and year out, dealers throughout our entire network continue to lead our industry and grow the Bobcat brand. I am pleased we can recognize these 16 businesses that have performed at the highest level in all areas.”

Companies in the 2023 Bobcat Dealer Leadership Group are:

• American Rent All in Cumberland, Md.
• Begone in Omaha, Neb.
• Bobcat of Chico (Calif.)
• Bobcat of Brandon (Manitoba, Canada)
• Bobcat of Brantford (Ontario, Canada)
• Bobcat of Fort Wayne (Ind.)
• Bobcat of Lincoln (Neb.)
• Bobcat of Mandan (N.D.)
• Bobcat of the Mountain Empire in Johnson City, Tenn.
• Bobcat of the Rockies in Colorado Springs, Colo.
• Ironhide Equipment in Devils Lake, N.D.
• Leppo in Cleveland, Ohio
• Rexco Equipment in Iowa City, Iowa
• Total Equipment & Rental of the Midwest in New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas
• Upstate Equipment in Buffalo, N.Y.
• White Star Machinery in Wichita, Kan.

As members of the Dealer Leadership Group, representatives from these recognized dealerships will function as the “voice” for the dealer network and meet with Bobcat senior leadership throughout the year to provide insights and feedback. To recognize and celebrate the achievements of this select group, Bobcat will also honor members at a dealer incentive trip to Iceland later this year.

Davey Tree partners with Cleveland Guardians to plant trees across Northeast Ohio

The Cleveland Guardians have partnered with The Davey Tree Expert Co. — No. 3 on the 2022 LM150 List — for a new community initiative to help reestablish the tree canopy in Cleveland.

Through the “Swing for the Trees” program, the two Northeast Ohio-based organizations have agreed to plant one tree in the Cleveland area for every home run hit by a Guardians player at Progressive Field during the 2022 season.

Davey Tree employees and Guardians’ players and officials will gather at planting events held next spring to plant the trees in the community. The company will announce locations for the tree plantings in late summer.

Sandra Reid, vice president of corporate communications and strategic planning at Davey Tree, said the company is excited about this new partnership because it will bring trees to the city and educate fans about tree benefits, all while the fans get to enjoy baseball.

TruGreen shares homeowner survey results

No. 2 on the 2022 LM150 list, TruGreen recently shared the results of a new survey conducted in collaboration with OnePoll to understand homeownership across generations, including priorities when buying a home, problems and surprises faced after receiving the keys, perceptions of the housing market and more.

Key findings of the survey include:

• Outdoor maintenance is a top priority. People take great pride in their home’s appearance. The study found that 75 percent of homeowners believe it’s important for their yard or home’s exterior to look impeccable. As such, homeowners prioritize exterior home maintenance, such as patios (42 percent), and functionality like upgrading their driveway (40 percent) and their yard/lawn (39 percent). Curb appeal is particularly important among Gen Z’ers (80 percent) and millennials (81 percent), as they predict they’ll invest more in lawn care maintenance, tree and shrub care and outdoor pest control than Gen Xers and boomers in 2023.
• Homeowners trust professionals. Nearly a third of American homeowners would hire a professional for home maintenance, and 62 percent would call a professional for a home improvement project. Younger generations were even more likely to call a professional for maintenance, with 61 percent of Gen Z’ers and 51 percent of millennials doing so, compared to 39 percent of Gen X’ers and 24 percent of boomers.

Greenius adds the ability to create custom courses

Greenius, an online training and onboarding solution built, received a major upgrade with the launch of custom courses, allowing companies to build their own unique courses within the platform and assign them to their staff.

Greenius says custom courses can provide the tools landscape companies need to craft specific training materials, helping them fast-track the onboarding process, keep teams safe on the job, and reduce costly mistakes. With an interface that works in both Spanish and English, business leaders can create their own courses, a multi-question exam and a field checklist. The company said created custom courses can range from showing where employees should park on their first day of work to an inside look at the lawnmower that needs to be started just the right way.

“Landscape businesses frequently struggle to properly train their workforce, which can lead to a loss of profits and an increase in injury and equipment repairs,” said Mark Bradley, CEO of Landscape Management Network. “With Custom Courses, employees will gain the specific knowledge they need to work smarter and safer, allowing the landscape industry to thrive.”

Midwest companies achieve Green Shield Certification

Good Nature Organic Lawn Care in Cleveland, Ohio, Natural Communities in Chicago, and Dig Right In Landscaping in Westchester, Ill., recently achieved Green Shield Certification (GSC) in an effort to eliminate harmful chemical exposure to people, pets and pollinators.

GSC brought an evaluator to each company’s headquarters to record and evaluate their pesticide and fertilizer inventories. This evaluation resulted in the companies eliminating or placing high restrictions on the use of pesticides with active ingredients of glyphosate, 2,4-D and dicamba that research and governmental authorities have listed as carcinogens, reproductive toxicants, endocrine disruptors, neurotoxins and harmful to pollinators, aquatic life and birds.

“GSC is thrilled to recognize these three companies for exceptional and low-risk pest and weed control performance,” said Ryan Anderson, sustainable communities manager for the IPM Institute of North America.

The IPM Institute operates GSC and its three certifications for pest management professionals, facilities and landscapes.

Fecon looks to expand its dealership base

Fecon, a manufacturer of heavy-duty site preparation equipment, looks to expand its dealership base.

The company said it is looking for dealers who align with its values to serve as strategic partners in key territories and markets. Fecon revealed its dealer expansion strategy at ConExpo. Fecon’s current network includes more than 500 dealer locations globally.

“Our philosophy has always been to be the best at whatever we do,” said Mark Middendorf, Fecon’s executive vice president of sales. “That means product design, product quality and following through on service and support after the sale. Our products work in harsh and demanding conditions and our customers need to know they can count on performance and durability use after use. That’s why dealers are such an integral part of our team. They are close to the customer. Dealers understand the conditions and terrain our customers work in and they are the first face the customer will see representing the Fecon brand. The dealers we select are best in class and share our commitment to providing an exceptional customer experience.”

Hyundai expands Taylor Construction Equipment territory to Indiana and Ohio

Hyundai Construction Equipment has expanded the dealership territory of Taylor Construction Equipment to include portions of Indiana and Ohio.

Taylor Construction Equipment, a division of the Taylor Group of Companies, Louisville, Miss., joined the Hyundai Construction Equipment dealer network in 2021, representing Hyundai from locations in Mississippi and Tennessee.

In addition to its original territory, Taylor now operates as a full-line Hyundai Construction Equipment dealership serving the southwestern third of Ohio and the southeastern third of Indiana. Its Ohio territory encompasses 34 counties including the Cincinnati, Columbus and Dayton metropolitan regions. Its Indiana territory comprises 39 counties, including the Indianapolis metro region, Bloomington, Columbus, and the northern suburbs of Louisville, Ky.

Taylor will begin serving this territory from facilities in Cleves, Ohio, and Indianapolis. It plans further expansion in the Columbus, Ohio, metro area.

Got news? Let us know!

Have news about your company? Send it to Associate Editor Rob DiFranco at rdifranco@northcoastmedia.net, and we’ll feature it in an upcoming Companies in the News.