Green Industry Roll Call: Updates from Takeuchi and Bobcat Co.

The latest news and updates from the people and companies around the green industry, including Takeuchi-U.S. and Bobcat Co.

Takeuchi Hires New Regional Manager Roles

Takeuchi-U.S. has named Jeffrey Baldwin as its new Central Midwest regional product manager and Austin Wells as its new Southwest regional business manager.

Baldwin is now responsible for supporting all the company’s dealers and national rental accounts in the Central Midwest region, which includes Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma. He will also train the region’s salesforce on product features, benefits, applications and how to perform effective machine demonstrations. Based in the Tulsa, Okla., area, Baldwin comes to Takeuchi from Vacuworx Global where he served as director of sales in the construction, utility and demolition markets. He managed and optimized the company’s dealer network, including onboarding, training and account development.

“Jeff’s experience in all facets of inside sales, outside sales, customer service and training position him for great success in his new role at Takeuchi,” said Shay Klusmeyer, Western Division sales manager for Takeuchi-U.S. “He’s very customer focused, driven and accountable, which are qualities that will help him build strong, positive relationships with our dealers in the Central Midwest region.”

Wells will manage all sales activity in the Southwest region, which includes Texas, New Mexico and Colorado. His duties will include dealer development and recruitment, inventory control, forecasting, promotions, sales planning and goal setting within that region. Located in Katy, Texas, Wells comes to Takeuchi from Bank of the West where he was a vice president and senior national account manager. While there, he managed Takeuchi Financial Services, working directly with the company’s dealer network to secure retail financing and credit approvals. Wells holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Mississippi.

“Austin has a unique background, having worked on the financial services side of the equipment business prior to joining Takeuchi as a regional business manager,” said Klusmeyer. “His experience working with dealers as well as his excellent relationship-building and communication skills make him a great fit as a regional business manager. We’re pleased to have him as a part of our team in the growing Southwest region.”

Bobcat Co. Opens New Aftermarket Parts Distribution Center in Atlanta

Bobcat Co. has expanded its nationwide aftermarket parts distribution center (PDC) network with the opening of a new, 396,000-square-foot facility in Atlanta.

This is the second Bobcat PDC opened in the past months to meet growing demand for Bobcat equipment in the marketplace. Bobcat also opened a new PDC in Reno, Nev., in September 2022. These two new facilities join the company’s existing Bobcat PDC near Chicago in Woodridge, Ill.

“The opening of this new facility in Atlanta is reflective of Bobcat’s growth and our ongoing commitment to providing a level of service befitting of a longtime, industry leader,” said Mike Ballweber, president of Bobcat Co. North America. “This facility is intentionally located in Georgia so we can support the businesses of our customers and dealer partners throughout the Southeast region and beyond, all while providing them with greater parts availability and faster deliveries.”

Bobcat’s PDC facilities support same-day order processing and extended order hours, expanded dealer support programs and customer service hours, improved speed of delivery times and additional shipping carrier options.

With the opening of these two facilities in Reno and Atlanta, Bobcat has nearly doubled its warehouse footprint. Between the three locations, Bobcat’s combined warehouse footprint in North American is now 896,000 square feet. The Bobcat PDC facilities are managed and staffed by APL Logistics, with the Atlanta location employing 85 people.

BY SARAH WEBB

Alot has changed in the mower segment the past couple years—battery technology has improved to provide landscape pros with longer run times, autonomous and semiautonomous mowers have become a serious topic of conversation and upgraded features on many mowers have upped the efficiency of landscape operations.

And yet, one aspect remains the same: Landscape pros continue to rely on their mowers to beautify their customers’ spaces and support their livelihoods. Because let’s face it—machine downtime during the busy season means landscapers aren’t making money.

“Labor constraints continue to be a headlining issue in the industry,” says Aaron Griffith, director, professional dealer sales at Stanley Black & Decker. “With staffing now requiring more time and resources, businesses should prioritize equipment to help increase efficiency and productivity.”

Mower manufacturers lay out the features landscapers should keep in mind so they can remain a cut above the rest—and mow on this season.

Battery power

Until recently, gas-powered mowers have been the industry standard, widely accepted as the only solution to offer sufficient power, run time and speed for the professional user, says Anthony Buxton, group manager, product marketing, at Milwaukee Tool.

“However, over the past few years, investment in outdoor power equipment battery technology has become a major focus for manufacturers, resulting in the development of mowers with increasingly powerful and efficient capabilities,” Buxton says. “With the various benefits, such as efficiency, versatility, cost and safety, landscaping companies across the U.S. have been more frequently adding battery-