Approaching its 40th anniversary, Kubota Tractor Corp. reaches significant sales milestone.

Kubota Sells 1.5 Millionth Unit to Jeremy Nafziger of B.N. Excavating, Inc., in Marietta, Pa. Kubota Tractor Corporation President Yuichi "Ken" Kitao congratulates Kubota customer Jeremy Nafziger, Marietta, Pa., as Kubota marks 1.5 million units sold in the U.S. with Nafziger's purchase of a Kubota M-Series tractor. Left to right: Greg Embury, Vice President, Kubota Tractor Corporation; Ken Messick, Kubota Dealer; Jeremy Nafziger, B.N. Excavating; President Kitao; and Scott Messick, Kubota Dealer Sales Rep. (Photo: Business Wire)

TORRANCE, Calif. — July 28, 2011 — (BUSINESS WIRE) — As Kubota Corporation, Osaka, Japan, begins to celebrate 40 years in the United States, the global equipment manufacturer hits another milestone as its U.S. distributor Kubota Tractor Corporation, Torrance, Calif., announces it has retailed 1.5 million Kubota units in America.

“We are thrilled as an organization to reach the 1.5 million mark for sales to our valued customers in the United States,” says Yuichi “Ken” Kitao, President of Kubota Tractor Corporation. “Our network of outstanding Kubota dealers and the greater Kubota family of customers reflects the acceptance of Kubota’s engineering and innovative products over the past 40 years across America. In this time of growth for our company, Kubota has proudly created many jobs in the U.S. including positions in our manufacturing operations, corporate and field offices, as well as producing local business opportunities for Kubota dealers.”

In early July, Kitao and other Kubota management staff celebrated with Kubota customer Jeremy Nafziger, Marietta, Pa., at his B.N. Excavating, Inc., business location to mark the 1.5-millionth-unit sold. Nafziger purchased a Kubota M series ag/utility tractor for his agricultural, commercial and residential excavating business from his local Kubota Dealer, Messick Farm Equipment, Elizabethtown, Pa.

“I’ll be using my new Kubota tractor for mostly mowing and snow removal,” explains Nafziger. “I have owned other Kubota tractors and I appreciate the service I get from my dealer. Messicks had recommended this particular tractor to me and I had worked out the details, just the previous week, to buy the tractor – I was surprised and happy to find out we would be honored with a visit from Kubota Tractor Corporation’s President.”

During the visit Kubota recognized the customer and presented Messick Farm Equipment with Kubota’s prestigious President’s Kaizen Award, recognizing the dealership as one of Kubota Tractor Corporation’s top dealers for 2010.

“Kubota takes great pride in designing, manufacturing and marketing quality Kubota products that our customers love to operate. We believe Kubota’s reputation for offering versatile, dependable, efficient products at a great value, has earned the loyalty of customers across the country just like Jeremy Nafziger,” adds Greg Embury, Vice President, Kubota Sales and Marketing.

Kubota Tractor Corporation began marketing in the U.S. in 1972, with an initial introduction of a 12-horsepower, compact tractor. In 1974, Kubota brought its trademark orange compact tractors to the forefront of the U.S. market by adding a 4-wheel drive compact tractor. Although 4-wheel-drive was common in larger American tractors, at that time it was unheard of for the compact sector, and the Kubota compact became a standard for the industry.

Today, Kubota is the industry leader in the under 40-horsepower tractor segment. With the 2004 introduction of the RTV900 – Kubota’s first utility vehicle – and the recent introduction of the M135X agricultural/utility tractor, Kubota Corporation has greatly expanded its product offerings in recent years. In fact, in 2010 Kubota joined the compact track loader market, introducing 75- and 90-hp models of the Kubota SVL75/90. Kubota also holds the number one market share in world-wide excavator sales in the 0- to 6-ton weight class, according to estimates provided by Off-Highway Research, the London-based management consultancy.

Kubota Tractor Corporation, Torrance, Calif., is the U.S. marketer and distributor of Kubota-engineered and manufactured equipment, including a complete line of tractors up to 118 PTO hp, performance-matched implements, compact and utility-class construction equipment, consumer lawn and garden equipment, commercial turf products and utility vehicles. For product literature or dealer locations, contact Kubota Tractor Corporation at 3401 Del Amo Blvd., Torrance, CA 90503, (888) 4-KUBOTA [(888) 458-2682], Ext. 900, or visit www.kubota.com.