ALL ABOUT TRACTORS BY PAUL WALLEM Readers have remarked about the increasing numbers of Kubota farm tractors and have inquired about the company. Their largest models are the M8 series @180-200 HP. They come from a very old Japanese company dating back to 1890. The company began in Osaka, Japan. They produce a host of different products, including tractors, combines, rice transplanters, turf-cane equipment and construction. Kubota has been active in supporting projects to stabilize food production in Sub-Sahara Africa. Their rice transplanter has doubled rice production in some areas, with funding help from the Japanese government. Kubota combine harvesters have been a significant factor in Tanzania. Author’s note: While farm equipment export manager for International Harvester, I made trips to Osaka in 1967. Komatsu is based there, and at that time, they were building compact tractors for IH. During that time, I learned that Kubota was Osaka’s oldest and largest employer. I also have vivid memories of the 130 MPH train ride between Tokyo and Osaka. Each car had a speedometer on the wall. It was a fast and very smooth ride. Back to Kubota: They first entered the farm equipment business in 1960. They started exporting small tractors to the U.S. in 1976. In 1991, they were shipping 30 HP tractors here, and by 1998, models of 60, 100, and 115 HP. By 2015, the 150 and 170 HP tractors were on the market here. Kubota Engine America Corporation conducts distribution here. Over half of engines sold in the U.S. are built in Lincolnshire, Ill. By the early 2000s, over 200,000 engines came from that location. Dale Simpson, a close friend for over 40 years, has retired from CaseIH. He describes Kubota as a company with long-term marketing strategies that entered the U.S. when market gaps appeared. They excelled in lawn and compact tractor quality and employed former U.S. marketing executives. They gradually increased their market share in industrial and farm products and are now major players in this tractor market. Tractor restoration – a growing business Dave Nelson’s grandfather let him cultivate with their Farmall B. Dave was 10 at the time. After high school, he learned the auto repair business with a company working on expensive cars. One day, his grandfather asked him to paint that old Farmall B. Dave did more than a simple paint job and showed it at a tractor show. The crowd praised his work. He decided to open his own business restoring tractors. He has never looked back. One reason he likes tractor restoration is the relationship he acquires with customers. Many collectors have brought work to Dave repeatedly and have become friends. All brands go through this shop, called Agri-Crafts. Current jobs now in process include two Fords, one Deere, and several Internationals, including a 5288 and 5488. Dave is seeing a current trend in his business towards newer and larger tractors. One job involved an International 7288. He uses an assembly line approach based on these eight steps: 1. Clean & assess damage; 2. Sandblast & treat with Rust-Mort; 3. Metal work; 4. Apply epoxy primer; 5. Green Etch primer & Rage filter; 6. Urethane filler primer & black trace paint; 7. Urethane filler primer after block sanding; 8. Urethane sealer (optional). The assembly line approach works well with the above eight steps, beginning with cleaning and ending with assembly and painting. He asks prospective clients to visit his shop first to witness the above process before sending work to him. One restoration came 1,700 miles from Alberta, Canada. I asked Dave if he was a collector. He answered, “Only that same Farmall B that Grandfather had and a 1984 Deere 4050 Open Station.” The Farmall B, the first tractor he drove, started his business and remains in the shop. Agri-Crafts is located in New Haven, Mo. Website is https://agricrafts.com. There are other excellent restorers throughout the country. A few others that I am acquainted with are: - triple R Tractors. Mike Link specializes in red tractors. His work has appeared in Heritage Iron and Red Power magazines. Located in Bartelso, Ill., his website is TripleRTractors.com. - Glasscock Motors. George Glasscock considers tractors “The symbol of our heritage.” From the time he rode on his grandfather’s mounted corn picker, he wanted to be involved with tractors. Located in Gays, Ill., his website is TractorPainter.net. Paul Wallem was raised on an Illinois dairy farm. He spent 13 years with corporate IH in domestic and foreign assignments. He resigned to own and operate two IH dealerships. He is the author of THE BREAKUP of IH and SUCCESSES & INDUSTRY FIRSTS of IH. See all his books on www.PaulWallem.com. E-mail comments to pwallem@aol.com |
