Hitachi Construction Machinery shocked the construction industry last year when it announced it was changing its name to Landcros.
The decision by a company whose brand has been associated with construction equipment innovation for 76 years left many wondering why it would make up a new name while competing in a market filled with other storied companies like Caterpillar, John Deere and Komatsu, among many others.
Hitachi Construction Machinery ranks eighth in the world for construction equipment revenue. And its excavators are ranked fourth in new-financed sales in the U.S., according to EDA.
So why the name change?
That question and others have been swirling around the construction equipment industry since the change was announced last October.
At Hitachi Construction Machinery America’s annual dealer meeting July 21-23 in Fayetteville, Georgia, its leaders sought to put to rest those questions, as well as any lingering doubts and concerns.
They laid out strategies, goals and new product categories, including entering compact track loader and articulated dump truck markets, as they transition to Landcros by April 2027 and set a course for rapid growth.
The new company also tagged a famous baseball player to help get the word out about the new name and rebranding.
Powered byWhy Change the Name?
Hitachi started mass production of a cable-operated shovel in 1950 in Japan.Hitachi Construction Machinery
In 2020, Hitachi Ltd. indicated it wanted to sell half of its majority stake in its construction machinery business, which it started in 1950, to focus more on its wide-ranging technology and energy products and services.
In 2021, Hitachi announced it was ending its 33-year agreement with John Deere to produce and distribute excavators.
Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas was soon formed under the HCM umbrella to manufacture and distribute Hitachi-branded excavators, wheel loaders, rigid-frame dump trucks, as well as expand into new categories in South and North America.
In 2022, Hitachi Ltd. sold its majority 51.4% stake in Hitachi Construction Machinery to Japanese trading company Itochu and private equity firm Japan International Partners. Hitachi Ltd. has continued to divest and is down to 10.1% of shares. Itochu is now the largest shareholder of HCM at 33.4%.
That also means HCM has ceased to be a subsidiary of Hitachi Ltd.
The new Landcros name is a furthering of its independence, with its leaders referring to it as “the second startup of our company.” The first “startup” came in 2022 after its split with Deere, they say.
Landcros represents the company’s goals of “providing solutions beyond machines” with a focus on technology like fleet management, maintenance monitoring and remote machine control.
The new Landcros also plans to place a greater emphasis on Acme, its wholesale rental business, in response to contractors’ growing shift from owning equipment. Forming partnerships with other companies to expand its products and technology is another core strategy for growth.
“We're a true public company now, so we're not tied by a major corporation that kind of has their own plans and details,” said HCMA Chief Operating Officer Simon Wilson. “… So it's really our destiny and our decisions. As the executive team in Japan drives the investment plans and drives where we're going to go, it's much easier, much more flexible for us.”
New CTLs and ADTs?
During last month’s dealer meeting, company leaders revealed that Landcros would enter the compact track loader and articulated dump truck markets next year.
The company will partner with other established OEMs for the machines’ manufacturing. After the meeting, it was announced that it has signed a letter of intent with fellow Japanese company Yanmar “to begin exploring collaboration in the compact equipment business.”
The CTL market is one that more OEMs have been rushing to enter since it has risen to the top category of new-financed construction equipment sales in the U.S., according to EDA. (EDA is owned by Fusable, which also owns Equipment World.)
“You're talking 90,000 units a year in the U.S. and Canada,” Wilson said of CTL sales. “It's a big, big market to get into.”
Landcros-branded CTLs are scheduled to arrive on the North American market next summer.
Wilson said the company will start with two new CTLs and then expand to a full lineup of eight models over two years or so.
“We want to make sure we launch it properly,” he said. “So, we'll launch it regionally with just a couple of models, and we'll start expanding that once we make sure all the processes and the systems that go along support those.”
Landcros will follow a similar process with articulated haulers. The company is “working with a well-known partner,” Wilson said. Plans are to announce the partner this fall and begin the ADT rollout next summer.
Last year, 1,898 new financed ADTs were sold in the U.S., according to EDA, ranking the equipment category in ninth place in sales behind backhoes.
Other products, including skid steers after the CTLs launch, are also under consideration for North America.
“There are other segments that we're talking about because we really believe we can expand the portfolio,” Wilson said. “The dealer body is a very strong dealer group. … They can handle it. They're asking for it.”
What About Excavators?
Hitachi CMA reveals its next-gen ZX35U-7 mini excavator with new Landcros name at its dealer meeting July 21 in Fayetteville, Georgia.Equipment World
It recently revealed four next-generation mini excavators to be launched later this year or early next year under the Landcros brand. It is also entering the North American wheeled excavator market with its two largest models.
Hitachi is a top global brand in excavators, especially in the 50- to 90-ton range. In the U.S., it ranks fourth in new-financed sales in excavators over 8 metric tons, according to EDA, at 6% of market share. That follows Komatsu (16.4% market share), Deere (17.8%) and Caterpillar (27.4%).
The company sees opportunities in the smaller excavators, but acknowledges that comes with a lot more competition. Mini excavators, for example, are the second-highest sales category of construction equipment in the U.S., with more than 32,000 new financed units sold from May 2025 to April 2026, according to EDA.
A variety of other Hitachi excavator models are available in international markets, and the company is considering Landcros launches of some of them here. That includes ones for demolition, material handling and other specialties.
The company is also seeking expansion into the larger sizes.
“We see expansion opportunities … into that 100-ton,” Wilson said. “That's more of a construction excavator versus mining, which is more of a 120-, 140-ton size machine. So there's a little bit of growth on the top end.”
No. 3 in the World?
Masafumi Senzaki, left, president of Hitachi Construction Machinery, reveals goal of Landcros becoming the third-largest construction equipment manufacturer in the world by 2030. HCMA Chief Operating Officer Simon Wilson, right, looks on.Equipment World
By 2030, it expects to become the third-largest construction equipment manufacturer in the world behind Caterpillar and Komatsu.
Currently, Hitachi Construction Machinery ranks No. 8 in global equipment revenue at $9 billion, according to the 2026 KHL Yellow Table. The current third-place OEM, Chinese manufacturer XCMG, has annual sales of $14.2 billion.
“We will establish a clear No. 3 position in the industry by 2030 with the Landcros brand,” declared Masafumi Senzaki, president of Hitachi Construction Machinery.
Wilson added that the goal includes a direct challenge to Caterpillar, John Deere and Komatsu on this continent.
“We are going to be all in on driving to be a tier-one OEM in North America,” he said.
What’s Next?
Gabe Weiss, head of marketing for HCMA, reveals glimpses of what customers can expect to see starting in April at dealerships rebranded to Landcros.Equipment World
Company leaders say Landcros represents a new era that maintains the company’s legacy while expanding into new products, advanced technology and innovative solutions for its dealers and customers.
“Before talking about the future, let me be clear about one thing,” Senzaki told the assembled dealers. “Landcros does not change who we are. We remain a Japanese OEM built on manufacturing excellence and trusted dealer relationships.”
That includes keeping the easily recognizable orange color of its equipment, though the logos and decals will change.
Starting in April, dealerships will begin adding new Landcros signage. Corporate Landcros is offering a variety of options for its dealers on how to adopt the new name and brand, which also extends to rental, service and parts.
“We fully expect next spring, predominantly, is going to be all Landcros equipment at dealerships,” Wilson said. “It's a big transition. We're working now with dealers to make sure we align what their needs are, but we will begin shipping Landcros machines at the end of the calendar year or early next year. That will allow the dealers to transition their equipment.”
With North America being one of its top business priorities, the company has more than $3 billion in investments planned here for mergers and acquisitions, research and development, technology and additional hires, Wilson said. “The next four years, there's a continual growth plan that's being put together and is now being put into place.”
The company’s other top business priorities are mining, parts and services, and Latin America.
“Today, I'm not here to introduce a new name,” Senzaki said. “I'm here to introduce the next chapter of our journey together. And I'm so excited that all of us are starting that chapter together. The next chapter is called Landcros.”
They Got Shohei!
“My name is Shohei Ohtani, and I am honored to have been appointed LANDCROS Global Brand Ambassador,” says the Los Angeles Dodgers' star designated hitter and pitcher in an August 4 news release.
“I feel a deep connection with the trust and expertise that Hitachi Construction Machinery has built over many years and it is a great honor to be entrusted with this role.
“In my own career, I place great importance on the fundamentals and believe that building on each day, one step at a time, is what leads to the future. Because I have continued to take on new challenges with the support of my teammates, fans, and so many others, I feel a strong connection with what LANDCROS is striving to achieve.”
Adds Senzaki in the release:
“We are deeply honored to welcome Shohei Ohtani as our Global Brand Ambassador. To have the opportunity to work alongside Ohtani — who continues to challenge himself on the world stage — is a source of immense pride for all of us, and we are sincerely grateful.”
