Akio Takeuchi, founder of Takeuchi Manufacturing, and Susanne Cobey, CEO of Eagle Crusher, are the latest inductees into the Association of Equipment Manufacturers Hall of Fame.
The AEM Hall of Fame “recognizes the pioneers whose inventions, ideas leadership and courage have built, fed and powered our modern world.” Awards were presented at the association's Annual Conference in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., on November 29.
“AEM takes great pride in welcoming Susanne Cobey and Akio Takeuchi to our Hall of Fame roster of esteemed industry leaders,” said AEM President Megan Tanel. “They both serve as inspiration for the next generation to cultivate and pursue transformative ideas for the industry and the betterment of all.”
“Akio Takeuchi’s strategic leadership within the compact equipment market, coupled with his attentive approach to customer needs and product development, has notably pioneered a distinct industry segment,” continued Megan Tanel. “Similarly, Susanne Cobey, confronted with challenges in the crusher industry during the 1980s, ingeniously used Eagle Crusher’s technology to spearhead the pavement recycling sector, contributing significantly to concrete and asphalt waste reduction.”
Akio Takeuchi (1933-) Founder, Takeuchi Manufacturing
Akio Takeuchi has been part of the construction equipment industry for six decades. In 1963, at the age of 29, Takeuchi founded Takeuchi Manufacturing.
Early on, he learned the value of listening to customers and understanding their needs. When a local business partner asked Takeuchi to create a new machine that would help his employees do their jobs faster, easier and with less manual labor, he listened. The result was the world’s first compact excavator.
Since then, Takeuchi Manufacturing has presented more innovations, including the first offset boom excavator and the first compact track loader.
The Takeuchi Way embraces the spirit of creation, challenge and cooperation and emphasizes the ideas and opinions of the people who are closest to the end user.
Today, Takeuchi still believes that when you put your customers’ needs first, sales and profits will follow. He has not only built a solid, quality-driven compact construction equipment company, but he has also built a legacy.
Susanne Cobey (1951-) CEO, Eagle Crusher
Susanne Cobey joined Eagle Crusher Company, Inc. in 1970 as parts manager and quickly advanced through multiple ranks to become president and CEO in 1990.
When significant industry changes in the 1980s impacted the manufacturer of heavy-duty crushing and screening equipment, Cobey spearheaded the commercial recycling industry in the United States, building the first U.S. commercial recycling plant, Eagle Crusher’s Jumbo 1400, in 1984. Her innovations created a new product line for Eagle Crusher, and a new American industry.
Under Cobey’s vision, the plant took crushing to a new level with its abilities to process high volumes of aggregate, concrete and RAP. These improvements saved innumerable tons of concrete and asphalt from landfills. A whole line of portable horizontal impactor plants soon followed, creating a boon for the aggregate crushing, the recycled concrete and the RAP markets.
A female pioneer in a male-dominated industry, Cobey has dedicated herself to helping other women in the industry succeed. She has addressed the topic of women in the industry in numerous videos and news articles and serves as a keynote speaker and role model at many commencement addresses. She hopes that her experience inspires a new generation.
Since 1993, 69 off-road equipment industry pioneers have been inducted into the AEM Hall of Fame, including Benjamin Holt (Caterpillar), Joseph Cyril Bamford (JCB), Jerome Increase Case (CNH Industrial), John Deere (Deere & Co.), Gus Ramirez (HUSCO International) and Mary Andringa (Vermeer). Equipment World Chief Editor Jordanne Waldschmidt has served as a volunteer judge for the program for the past two years.
