Kobelco Construction Machinery America this week announced the production of its 25,000th American-made excavator at the company’s manufacturing facility in Calhoun, Ga. During a ceremony to mark the occasion, Kobelco executives recognized staff and management who helped achieve the significant manufacturing milestone and presented the 25,000th unit to local dignitaries — including representatives from Georgia Governor Nathan Deal’s office of Economic Development, representatives from the offices of Georgia’s U.S. Senators Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson, and Calhoun Mayor Jimmy Palmer — special guests and more than 200 plant employees.
“This momentous occasion reflects the continuing demand for Kobelco excavators and further emphasizes the long-term success of our machines and our tradition as a technology leader,” said Jim Hasler, vice president, CNH Construction, North America. “We could not have reached this important milestone without the skills, support and dedication of the employees at this facility.”
The 280,000-square-foot plant in Calhoun produces Kobelco excavators in six model classes — ranging from 16 to 48 metric tons — for customers in the United States, Canada and Latin America. The plant is on track to produce more than 1,100 Kobelco excavators in 2012.
“At a time when some companies have moved production offshore, we are proud to celebrate production of the 25,000th Kobelco excavator, made right here in America,” Hasler said. “For nearly 30 years, Kobelco has been manufacturing high-performance excavators in the United States, and we look forward to building our next 25,000 excavators in Calhoun.”
The 25,000th unit, a Kobelco SK350 Mark 9 Series full-sized excavator, will be delivered to CLM Equipment Co., a Kobelco dealer based in Louisiana, with locations across the Gulf region.
Kobelco Construction Machinery America specializes in the production of compact, mid-size and full-size excavators ranging from 1.8 to 89 tons. It is a joint venture between subsidiaries of CNH and Kobelco Construction Machinery. More information about CNH can be found online at www.cnh.com.
