Kobelco re-enters North American market

Kobelco President and CEO Katsuhiko “Pete” Morita spoke with Equipment World staff at Bauma 2013.Kobelco President and CEO Katsuhiko “Pete” Morita spoke with Equipment World staff at Bauma 2013.

Kobelco Construction Machinery U.S.A. has plans to reintroduce itself to the North American market, starting with offering 15 excavators rainging from 1.5 to 51 metric tons, Kobelco President and CEO Katsuhiko “Pete” Morita told our sister site, Equipment World, yesterday at Bauma 2013.

Kobelco is re-entering the North American market on its own for the first time in 10 years, following the end of its global alliance with CNH, which ended in December 2012.

North American customers can expect a new look from Kobelco–the machines are shifting from the company’s “true blue” to a more traditional yellow. Morita said 55 of the new machines arrived in the United States this week.

Kobelco is currently operating out of a temporary headquarters Houston, Texas, but plans to build a permanent North American headquarters in the city in the next two years.

In the meantime, Kobelco is working to create its dealer network. Morita said he expects the company to have 30 North American dealers by June and 50 by the end of the year.

Morita said he wants to see the company return to where it was before its agreement with CNH: a small, strong dealer network with 10 to 12 percent market share.

Read the full story at EquipmentWorld.com.