Tag Archive for: Kubota

Kubota supports continued growth for Southern Ground Care

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Kubota supports continued growth for Southern Ground Care: As demand grows, and implements get bigger and better, as does the fleet of Kubota tractors for sports turf maintenance company Southern Ground Care.

Established in 2012 by Keith Petley, later joined by his son Lewis Petley, the reliability and ease of operation has seen the company loyal to the brand from the outset – now with an L2-602, two L2-622’s and most recently an M6-131 joining the pack to provide the power to operations at schools, football and cricket clubs along the south coast.

Kubota supports continued growth for Southern Ground Care

Kubota supports continued growth for Southern Ground Care

After working in transport for nearly 40 years, Keith made the break to something new in 2012, helping with the maintenance at a local cricket club in a volunteer capacity. It was here he purchased his first compact tractor from Kubota’s B-Series and the rest, as they say, was history! “Over the years we’ve had a B3030, then progressed to two STV40’s and an ST401 with a cab. Kubota has been the backbone for everything we offer and as we’ve branched into new sports and new operations, our Kubota fleet has grown accordingly” Keith says.

“We currently have three tractors from Kubota’s L-Series which give us the ideal power to weight ratio for the vast majority of implements we use from general maintenance to end-of-season renovations on football and cricket pitches. These have given us outstanding reliability and are intuitive and comfortable to operate.”

The latest delivery made by local dealer Rod Gaskin in July 2024, was a M6-131 equipped with turf tyres. Lewis explains, “We found ourselves hiring an M5 when we needed to utilise the heavier kit which was inconvenient compared to having our own higher HP tractor that we could use as and when required. The turf tyres on our M6 spread the weight really well, avoiding unnecessary compaction and we find the tread is not too aggressive even when working on slightly softer ground.”

With workload ramping up, the team have also invested in GPS systems for all four tractors to optimise efficiency. “We thought it would be good for spraying but we’ve reaped the benefits of it with nearly everything we do! It speeds up the operations, improves the accuracy for operations like seeding, aeration and even mowing, and means that less experienced members of the team can go into every task with confidence.”

“We’re also assisted by the fantastic team at Rod Gaskin who are quick to offer us help and support, together with taking care of our routine servicing to avoid any costly downtime. The back-up with Kubota is second to none” he adds.

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Kubota Celebrates 50 Years in Europe

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Kubota Celebrates 50 Years in Europe: Kubota marked a significant milestone of 50 years in Europe, by hosting an exclusive event themed “It’s All About People.” at PortAventura in Spain.

The event welcomed over 900 attendees, including dealers, distributors, partners, international media and employees, showcasing Kubota’s status as a leading manufacturer in Agriculture, Groundcare, and Construction equipment.

Kubota Celebrates 50 Years in Europe

Kubota Celebrates 50 Years in Europe

The event offered a chance for celebration, networking and insights into Kubota’s future. Attendees were introduced to exciting new additions to Kubota’s expanding portfolio, including the launch of the M7004 tractor and a limited-edition anniversary model, of which only 50 units will be produced. A unique “1 of 1” edition was also unveiled signed by Jean Alesi, the special guest of the evening, who drew fascinating parallels between Formula 1 and Kubota’s success, highlighting the contributions of the people behind it.

From a Groundcare perspective, Kubota unveiled an upcoming 44hp Front Centre Collect machine, contributing to the rapid growth in this sector. Additionally, building on the success of the EK1 series across Europe, a hydrostatic version is set to increase the entry-level compact tractor range.

The event also highlighted Kubota’s commitment to future technologies, such as automation and connectivity. Attendees witnessed live demonstrations of the KFAST, a self-propelled sprayer developed for autonomous spraying solutions in orchards and vineyards alongside a M7 and a L1 Series tractor, equipped with an autonomous kit from AGC (Agreenculture), designed to address industry challenges such as labour shortages.

The evening concluded with dynamic entertainment at the PortAventura Park, featuring light shows, live music, and a variety of activities, making it a fitting celebration of Kubota’s legacy and future in Europe.

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Kubota (UK) announce two strategic appointments

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Kubota (UK) announce two strategic appointments: Kubota (UK) are delighted to announce two strategic appointments – bolstering knowledge and strength both internally and across the dealer network.

John Davis has taken up the position of agricultural and groundcare dealer manager for the south and south west of England, while Matt Wilson joins the marketing team as groundcare product and key account manager for the UK and Ireland.

Kubota (UK) announce two strategic appointments

Kubota (UK) announce two strategic appointments

Passionate about farming and machinery, John has worked in the industry since leaving school, where he enrolled in an apprenticeship scheme with former dealer Tincknells, some 30 years ago. He joins Kubota following eight years with a specialist manufacturer and brings with him considerable experience gained during his most recent role working with self-propelled crop spraying equipment.

“I’m looking forward to being challenged with continual dealer development and brand-building, to introduce Kubota to a much wider audience in the agricultural and groundcare sectors,” said John. “Kubota is a company that is growing and we’re seeing increased interest from the industry for Kubota tractors, loaders, telehandlers and groundcare machinery. It’s a great time to be involved with such a well-respected, global manufacturer.”

Meanwhile, Matt Wilson joins the Kubota (UK) marketing team with more than 20 years of industry knowledge having gained dealership, distribution and manufacturing experience with a variety of businesses involved in the amenity, golf and turf sectors. Matt’s desire for market and product information will be instrumental in his role to further develop the groundcare portfolio, together with working alongside Kubota’s European groundcare product management team.

Matt explains, “I have always wanted to work for a top-tier manufacturer, and joining Kubota is certainly a highlight of my career to-date. Ethically, Kubota’s core disciplines, family values and its honourable nature are values that are close to my heart.”

“There is strong demand for Kubota’s groundcare products, in particular the products from the recent acquisition of Gianni Ferrari.” He adds, “Who wouldn’t want to work for such a well-respected brand, with equipment that sets the industry standard for build quality and reliability?!”

Commenting on the recent appointments, Kubota’s agricultural and groundcare sales manager Tim Yates said: “John’s knowledge provides us with a great opportunity to continue supporting dealers and build on the growth already achieved in the agricultural and groundcare markets. It’s great to have both him and Matt on the team; whose in-depth industry knowledge gives us a strong foundation on which to continue supporting the groundcare sector with market-leading products.”

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Kubota Gianni Ferrari S.R.L media update

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Kubota Gianni Ferrari S.R.L media update: What happens when Italian flair meets renowned Japanese efficiency? Members of the groundcare press were recently given the opportunity to find out, as Kubota opened the doors to Kubota Gianni Ferrari S.R.L. facility in Reggiolo, Italy. Following the acquisition of the brand in the summer of 2022, the two-day event delivered an update on the past, present and future of developments across the centre-collect front mower range.

Gianni Ferrari boasts a rich heritage of engineering prowess, with the namesake and founder pioneering patented irrigation machinery and the ‘Ferrari Joint’ in the early 1950’s. This developed into the design of their first walk-behind tractor in 1957. Fast forward to 1989, Gianni founded Gianni Ferrari S.R.L. alongside Franco Maletti and son Claudio Ferrari where, from their Reggiolo factory, they began the construction of professional lawn mowers.

Kubota Gianni Ferrari S.R.L media update

Kubota Gianni Ferrari S.R.L media update

Various models were introduced over the next 30 years, including the popular Turbo V50 and PG XPRO which gained much respect and popularity throughout Europe. With such a strong portfolio of centre-collecting front mowers for the professional user, Kubota recognised the complimentary fit of the range within their existing suite of ride-on mowers and proudly completed the acquisition in July 2022.

With the experience and support of Kubota globally, Kubota Gianni Ferrari have been working hard over the last two years to embrace the very best of the Japanese Kaizen approach to processes and manufacturing – which was evident in the slick and streamlined approach to production visible during the factory tour.

The media were also able to learn more about the current and ongoing developments within the product range such as the ‘conversion’ of the PG XPRO into the Kubota FC3-261, and the FC4-501 which has become one of the most powerful, comfortable and operationally equipped mowers on the market.

While the unprecedented rainfall from Storm Boris put pay to seeing the range in action, spirits were not dampened as all enjoyed gaining an insight into the approach – both now and that of the future – and the company ethos by speakers including Kosuke Ota, Vice President of Kubota Gianni Ferrari S.R.L. Further presentations were also delivered by Henry Bredin, general manager and Matt Wilson, groundcare product manager, of Kubota (UK).

“It’s been fantastic to witness first-hand the enthusiasm and passion among the Kubota Gianni Ferrari team and to be able to share this with the media from the UK and Ireland was a real pleasure” adds Matt. “All of us at Kubota are incredibly excited about the bright future we have with the FC range, not just in traditional groundcare applications, but also in other guises where it can also support the maintenance of artificial sports surfaces. We’d like to extend a massive thank you to the team in Italy for being such fantastic hosts, and to all of those who attended.”

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Kubota return to SALTEX

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Kubota return to SALTEX: A stop by the Kubota stand is always a must for visitors to SALTEX, and this year should be no different, with a vast array of industry-leading compact tractors, RTV’s and mowing solutions taking centre stage on stand C070. A particular highlight promises to be the expanded Kubota zero-turn range, with the new Z4-541 on show in the UK for the very first time.

The Z4-541 features a robust 54” steel fabricated deck, 24hp petrol engine and 360-degree turning capability to effortlessly navigate obstacles and deliver exceptional balance and stability for mowing tasks on uneven terrain. It is equipped with side discharge, with an optional Operator Controlled Discharge Chute (OCDC) enabling operators to temporarily shut the chute to prevent clippings from ejecting onto pathways. A mulching kit for the Z4-541 is also available.

Kubota return to SALTEX

Kubota return to SALTEX

Launched in July, the Z4-541 is the latest addition to Kubota’s zero-turn line-up, which combines unbeatable manoeuvrability with a range of chassis sizes, power sources and discharge options to suit all domestic, pro-consumer and professional applications. The Z4-541 will be on display at the NEC alongside the ZD rear discharge and Ze – Kubota’s electric zero-turn range – launched at SALTEX 2023 and making a return this October.

Visitors can also expect to see the FC3-221E from Kubota’s broadened FC mower range. Small, agile and adaptable, the mower deck on the new 22hp FC3-221E features two pairs of blades per rotor for a finer cut, while the expansive 600-litre grass collector means operators can cover significant areas before it requires emptying. This makes the versatile centre-collect machine ideal for various applications including residential gardens, schools, recreational areas and large-scale sports facilities, or adapted to feature a front mounted brush to suit the maintenance of artificial sports surfaces.

Kubota will be joined once again on stand C070 by Baroness and their range of mowers and implements. Together, the two brands showcase the very best of Japanese excellence and provide sports turf and green space managers with a complete maintenance solution.

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