In mid-August, the morning temps had just started to dip into the 50s at Takeuchi-US in northeast Georgia. Beautiful fall weather and football would be coming soon, but not before we headed west to the Ozarks, a geographic region that extends across Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Illinois. This area is home to incredible lakes and rivers, natural bridges and limestone bluffs, as well as extensive cave systems. But we weren’t there just to sight-see – we were visiting Springfield, Missouri to connect with another one of our outstanding dealers, Midwest Equipment & Supply, LLC.
In 1985, Phil McCoy opened RoadBuilders Equipment, a construction equipment company headquartered in Kansas City, with the goal of providing top-quality equipment and exceptional service. In 2000, RoadBuilders acquired Fehr’s Tractor, adding three new locations in Omaha, Lincoln, and Grand Island, Nebraska. In mid-2008, the company expanded into the Springfield, Missouri area by opening Midwest Equipment & Supply, LLC., where they offer used equipment, rental, service and parts. Sadly, Phil passed away in 2018, but his son, Bryan, took the reins at RoadBuilders, bringing his own vision while upholding his dad’s values and excellence.
We met up with Midwest’s District Sales Manager Nick Kirkland who is also the dealership’s Takeuchi sales rep and a wealth of knowledge. Nick has been with Midwest for 14 years and is one of the top Takeuchi salesmen in the country. A humble and hardworking person who tries to be available for his customers 24/7, Nick has worked as a superintendent for an excavation company, as well as a project manager and estimator for a developer. In other words, he knows heavy equipment.
“We picked up the full Takeuchi product line back in 2019,” Nick said. “They’ve been a great equipment partner for us.”
Before Nick sells a piece of equipment, he talks with customers about their needs to identify just the right equipment solution. He believes in building relationships and taking care of people. Simply put, Nick is, “Doing What’s Right,” which, as we say, is “The Takeuchi Way.”
“Takeuchi has always been known for longevity and durability, as well as outstanding hydraulic systems,” Nick said. “They have a real following here in Missouri, lots of Takeuchi guys who continue to use their machines because they’re built to last. We still see some of their old teal and white machines from the early-to-mid ‘90s every once in a while.”
After meeting with Nick and the gang at Midwest, we discovered no trip to Springfield, MO would be complete without a trip to the original Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World location. Affectionately known as “The Grandaddy of All Outdoor Stores®,” this massive, outdoor-themed experience is the number one tourist destination in Missouri, attracting four million people annually. It features a replica of the original Bass Pro Shops store rebuilt with all kinds of historical displays, the National Rifle Association Sporting Arms Museum and many other exhibits throughout. It truly was something to behold!
Finally, it was time to say goodbye to our friends in Missouri and head back to Georgia. We had a great time visiting Springfield, and we can’t wait to go back again sometime soon. Our sincere thanks to Nick and everyone at Midwest Equipment, LLC for their hospitality and for the effort they put into selling and servicing Takeuchi equipment every day!
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