In September 2022, Takeuchi opened its first production facility outside Asia in Moore, South Carolina. It was a whole new venture for Takeuchi, and one that required a great deal of planning, expertise and enthusiasm.
Just two short years later, the 10,000th compact track loader rolled off the line at the Moore facility. Takeuchi’s Moore employees signed the interior engine cover of the 10,000th CTL, making it a once-in-a-lifetime purchase. That milestone machine, a TL12R2 model, was then shipped to Takeuchi dealer, Bennet Equipment & Supply, and sold to Scott Childress of SEC Construction in Greenville, South Carolina.
“Our employees are very proud to have produced so many machines in a relatively short period of time,” said Ralph Wabnitz, director of factory operations for Takeuchi-US. “This achievement also means a lot to this region. Takeuchi has become a major employer in Spartanburg County, and we’re intent on being good corporate citizens who give back to the community as much as we can. It seems appropriate that this 10,000th machine will stay in this area where it was built with so much pride.”
Producing 10,000 machines in two years is certainly a major accomplishment, and getting there required many on-site peptalks and encouragement from Takeuchi’s headquarters in Nagano, Japan.
“We constantly pushed forward, trying to get better and more efficient each month,” Wabnitz said. “I give a lot of credit to our employees. Every month, we asked them to do better, to do more. And we’ve achieved every goal management presented us with, from manpower to production quality to safety.”
The past two years spent ramping up the South Carolina facility harken back to the “Takeuchi Way,” the company’s corporate motto and business philosophy which emphasizes quality, customer satisfaction and environmental sustainability. Mr. Takeuchi’s overall message is to put employee safety and product quality as top priorities, without exception.
“We started out with just 11 employees,” Wabnitz said. “Now, we’re up to 146. We kept ramping up every month. The labor market in South Carolina is extremely challenging, with an unemployment rate of just three percent, making it difficult to find the right employees with the ideal skillsets and attitudes. But we’ve assembled a great team, and they’ve made incredible strides over the past two years.”
Now that the Moore facility is almost fully staffed, the team there is manufacturing all five of Takeuchi’s current track loader models. Since production started in September 2022, the team has increased the number of units produced each month.
“In the near future, we’ll start manufacturing a new CTL model we think will generate great demand here in the U.S,” Wabnitz said. “The team is excited to help expand the Takeuchi CTL product line.”
Wabnitz himself is preparing for a new chapter. He will retire from his position at Takeuchi in May 2025, and Christopher Burdette will move into his role as director of operations in Moore. The pair are already working closely together so that Burdette can take over with full confidence next spring. Burdette is also preparing to take his first trip to Japan to visit Takeuchi headquarters very soon.
“I’m really looking forward to it,” Burdette said. “It’s an exciting journey. Ralph and this team have a tremendous legacy and that 10,000th unit is a compilation of phenomenal results and cross-functional efforts. I couldn’t ask for a better mentor and friend to start this process. Ralph has been a tremendous support.”
Takeuchi continues to transform the North American compact equipment market. And now, with the Moore, SC track loader facility fully ramped up, there’s good reason to believe Takeuchi will excel far beyond this 10,000th machine milestone.
About Takeuchi
Takeuchi is an ISO 9001 certified manufacturer of an extensive line of compact excavators and compact track loaders. Founded in 1963, Takeuchi was the first company to introduce the compact excavator, setting the stage for one of the highest growth product segments ever introduced in the compact equipment market. The compact excavator has become a main line product for both rental and construction/utility companies. Takeuchi continued to lead the compact construction industry with the introduction of the first compact track loader to North America.
For more information, please contact:
Lynette Von Minden, Swanson Russell
lynettev@swansonrussell.com
Phone: 402-437-6457
Stephen Odum, National Marketing Manager, Takeuchi-US
stephen.odum@takeuchi-us.com
Phone: 678-873-3070