Great Plains Manufacturing, in partnership with Kubota Corp., announced the grand opening of its new construction equipment facility last week in Salina, Kan. The facility will help support growing demands for Kubota construction equipment in the United States, starting with the production of Kubota’s SVL65 compact track loaders. First announced in 2020, the CE facility was part of a $53 million expansion and included the renovation of an existing 750,000 square-foot facility that had been recently vacated by a major employer in the Salina community.
“The grand opening of our new CE facility is a major step in growing as a manufacturing hub for Kubota construction equipment with investments totaling over $178 million through 2024. This investment continues to reaffirm Kubota’s commitment to America’s heartland,” said Linda Salem, president and CEO of Great Plains Manufacturing. “Employment at the CE facility is expected to be at 190 people by the end of 2022, with further plans to grow to more than 900 employees in the future.”
The CE facility grand opening was commemorated with a tour of the new facility and a sake barrel ceremony – a Japanese tradition, similar to a ribbon-cutting -- that symbolizes opening to harmony and good fortune. Executives from Kubota Corp. in Japan attended the grand opening, including Yuichi Kitao, president and representative director of Kubota Corp. Local and state government officials in attendance were City of Salina Mayor Dr. Trent Davis, Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland, U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, and Kansas governor Laura Kelly.
During the grand opening event, Gov. Kelly and Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland visited with the company’s leadership to learn more about the expansion. “With Kubota and Great Plains’ announcement of 150 new jobs for Kansans – and over 900 jobs in the long-term – it couldn’t be clearer: This project will be transformational for Central Kansas,” Governor Kelly said. “My administration will continue making the investments in our infrastructure, childcare, and workforce to help more businesses grow and succeed in Kansas.”
$124 million for painting system and more
Phase I of the project, including mass production of the Kubota SVL65 compact track loaders, was completed earlier this year. The Phase II expansion of the CE facility will be a $124 million investment that will include the installation of an automotive-grade eco-paint system with two paint lines: one for powder and the other for liquid applications. Expanded welding, assembly, and fabrication areas, and the construction of a building addition will increase production capacity and bring more jobs to the Salina community. Phase II is expected to be up and running by mid-2024, adding about 200 more jobs to the area.
The facility will produce Kubota’s SVL65 compact track loaders – a product formerly manufactured in Japan. The grand opening celebrates the move of a mature product to Salina in an effort to bring manufacturing closer to end users in the North American market. Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said, “Great Plains was a perfect fit to take on these manufacturing operations for Kubota. Having these parts manufactured in Kansas brings the company closer to its customer base and provides good-paying jobs to an established Salina workforce. Great Plains personifies the type of progressive, global Kansas company the Kelly Administration knows will help future-proof the state economy.” As the project nears completion, other types of Kubota construction equipment will be produced at the facility.
Great Plains Manufacturing, founded in 1976, employs over 2,000 people worldwide. It encompasses five divisions: Great Plains Ag, which manufactures soil management and seed placement equipment, and other farm implements; Land Pride, which manufactures grounds maintenance tools such as mowers, rototillers, rotary cutters, dirt-working equipment, and construction equipment attachments; Great Plains International, which sells the company’s products worldwide; Great Plains Trucking, which operates a nationwide fleet of flatbed trucks; and Great Plains CE Division, which manufactures powered equipment for the construction industry. A subsidiary of Kubota, Great Plains Mfg. is headquartered in Salina, Kan.
