At the end of 2013, Kubota announced its decision to set up a new factory in France. When fully operational, it aims to produce 3,000 M series tractors per year by 2017.

Kubota invested over €40m converting the 37,000m2 space. Approximately 24 Japanese staff will be training and regulating production out of a staff of 165 at the factory.

At the moment, one tractor is produced every 21 minutes. According to Kubota, this will improve as the factory is further refined and the use of robots is integrated into the production line.

The proximity to the port seems to one of the key selection criteria for basing this new plant at Dunkirk. It will allow for components, such as the engines made in Japan, to be transported to the factory.

The target market for the proposed output is set out at 1,500 for Europe and 1,000 for North America, with the remaining 500 units destined for the Oceania/Japan region.

Rob Edwards has joined the group from Same Deutz Fahr and heads up the agricultural division for the UK and Scandinavia. According to Rob, this is a 180° cultural shift from him having worked with the European manufacturer for so long.

“Distribution and backup will be key to the development of the Kubota brand; we will need good strong established dealers to do this,” he said.

The plan is to offer tractor dealerships in appropriate areas and to try to tempt existing dealers away from their current product.

Kubota will be concentrating on establishing the brand, along with the development of a six-cylinder engine, which could open the door to bigger tractors.