Our Sales and Marketing teams were invited to get hands on with the latest Kubota excavators at the Heart of England Conference Centre last Friday.
Kubota’s Construction Division Manager, Rob White, kicked the day off by giving an overview of the past few years. Despite the dreaded Covid-19, Kubota have had a number of record years, plus have achieved 25 years as being the UK and Ireland’s Number 1 mini-excavator manufacturer. A very impressive achievement that illustrates Kubota’s dedication to providing top quality products. In addition, Kubota have announced that they are expanding their production capabilities of its main mini excavator manufacturing facilities in Osaka, Japan. Hirakata Plant will have a new building facilitating painting assembly and other processes enabling the plant to go from 48,000 units to an impressive 78,000 units. This is fantastic news and is sure to have an impact on machine availability when the assembly line is completed in October 2024 and the painting line in October 2025. Kubota excavators are always in demand so we look forward to being able to meet our customers needs with more new equipment.
To find out more about the expansion click here
As well as continuous growth, Kubota are always investing in RND and over the past few years we have celebrated (albeit via Zoom!), the release of several new and updated products. On Friday, these machines were on site for us all to jump on and see first hand the improvements and effectiveness of the machines. As well as some firm favourites including the U17-3a, KX027-4 and the KX080-4a2 we got to demo the K008-5, U10-5, KX019-4SI and the 5-6 ton excavator range, the U56-5 and KX060-5.
Updated micro diggers – The K008-5 and U10-5
The new and improved micro Kubota excavators are more than impressive and we have already had great customer feedback. Both machines now have the excellent Kubota Anti Theft System. The red key is a great addition to help deter plant theft which has gone up tremendously in the past few years. Additionally, The U10-5 now has side levers as standard and both have a forward folding roll bar. This unique feature is ideal for going through doorways and manoeuvring in tight spaces. Other features include:
- fully opening bonnet with easy access to the engine and service points
- protected service port pipes running through the boom with service ports located at the end of the boom
- colour coded hoses as found on the full Kubota mini excavator range
- adjustable tracks to enhance stability
- LED boom lights
- Stage V compliant, Kubota engine
The list goes on!
MICRO_K008_U10_5_English Broch_25.05.21
KX019-4SI – Kubota’s first LPG machine
The KX019-4SI, although a brilliant bit of equipment, has had less traction across the UK, but it is only a matter of time! Rather than going electric, Kubota have chosen the LPG option which is ideal for the UK’s current infrastructure. The gas bottles are readily available and Kubota have incorporated a 12 minute warning to allow you to track back where necessary, using a reserve gas canister. Despite this, a single tankful of LPG is enough for a full day’s work, depending of working environment.
It delivers high levels of productivity, lower noise levels and lower emissions. Emissions are 5% of a diesel or petrol engine! It is no doubt that in time we will be seeing more of these machines. Being able to test and compare it to other machines, our sales team are ahead of the game. They have the knowledge and understanding to help our customers make informed decisions towards a greener future.
The 5-6 ton range including; U50-5, U56-5 and KX060-5
The 5-6 ton Kubota excavator range has always been very popular so when we first heard they were being updated we were excited. Kubota have not disappointed and all three models have been a great success. Whether zero-tail swing (U50/U56) or conventional swing (KX060), there is something for everyone.
The three pillars Kubota have focused on for the update are advanced performance, comfort and safety. Operator safety and comfort is always important for our customers and Kubota really have delivered. They have a slimmer frame design meaning greater visibility due to 20% more glass. Additionally, the cabins are more spacious and so more comfortable to work in.
As always, Kubota have used their own original DI engine with CRS and DPF muffler. These direct-injection engines are fully Stage V compliant and have a new and improved DPF which has reduced maintenance and therefore reduced potential downtime of the machine too.
More than just digging around…
Whilst it may seem on the outside that our sales team have had an afternoon of digging holes, the training day was much more than that. We all gained valuable product knowledge and it is clearer than ever as to why Kubota are the UK and Irelands number 1 mini excavator provider for the 25th year in a row.
If you want to find out more about Kubota’s full range of construction machines, including Kubota excavators, follow this link. Alternatively get in touch with us! Whether it’s new machinery, parts or servicing we can cater to all your Kubota needs.