Takeuchi offsets energy costs with solar panel installation at U.S. facilities
In an effort to make its Japan and U.S. facilities carbon neutral, Takeuchi-US installed energy-efficient solar panels at its locations in Pendergrass, Ga., and Moore, S.C.
The new solar panels cover 85 percent of the energy needs of both U.S. locations, with the remaining 15 percent to be sourced as green energy from local electrical suppliers. This allows Takeuchi’s locations to remain carbon-neutral year-round. To help offset the solar installation project’s costs, Takeuchi will apply for tax credits that the Inflation Reduction Act provides for eligible renewable energy projects.
“We quickly learned that a solar project of this magnitude takes a lot of time and planning,” said Angy Lamb, manager of operational services at Takeuchi-US. “We began meeting with solar energy companies in late summer 2022. Each company had to come on-site to tour each building and evaluate the roof structures and electrical systems before drawing up preliminary design suggestions and providing estimates. That process alone took several months.”
In March 2023, Takeuchi chose Renu Energy Solutions to install solar panels at both the Georgia and South Carolina facilities. The next project phase involved getting the appropriate permits from local government authorities as well as interconnection agreements with local power companies. Renu handled those details, and in September 2023, all the necessary panels and hardware were shipped to the locations. Renu began installing the systems, prioritizing not disturbing the facilities’ workflows save for the final “tie-in,” which requires a building’s power to be shut down while the solar panels connect to the electrical systems.
“The first building to ‘go live’ was our South Carolina office building in February 2024,” said Jeff Stewart, president of Takeuchi-US. “That was quickly followed by our Training Center in Pendergrass, Georgia, and then the manufacturing plant in South Carolina. Finally, the machine distribution center, corporate office and main distribution center in Pendergrass came online in early July.”
The company has also converted its main distribution center in Georgia and plant in South Carolina to energy-efficient LED lighting with its secondary distribution center almost entirely illuminated by LEDs. Takeuchi’s 3-year-old Training Center in Georgia was built with all high-efficiency systems, including LED fixtures. Takeuchi plans to convert all lighting in its corporate offices over to LED later this year, and in 2025, it will convert the remaining portion of the lighting in its secondary warehouse to LED, significantly reducing its electric bills.
Texas-based WRI Tractors to sell Takeuchi’s compact equipment
WRI Tractors in Bryan, Texas, will now carry Takeuchi’s full line of compact equipment, including track loaders, excavators, wheel loaders and crawler dumpers.
“We’re very pleased to now offer Takeuchi’s quality equipment here in Southeast Texas,” said Quinton Williams, president of WRI Tractors. “Since we opened for business back in 2016, we’ve focused on providing this area with the highest-value agricultural equipment. By adding Takeuchi machines to our line-up, we’re able to provide a wider range of customers, including construction professionals, with equipment that can help them be more efficient and productive.”
Family-owned and operated, WRI Tractors adds Takeuchi equipment to its inventory of tractors, hay and tillage equipment, UTVs, outdoor power equipment, lawnmowers and trailers. The dealer serves many communities in the Texas Brazos Valley, including College Station, Huntsville, Madisonville, Navasota, Rockdale and Brenham.
“Over the years, WRI Tractors has served the Brazos Valley region with dedication and expertise,” said Austin Wells, Southwest regional business manager for Takeuchi-US. “They represent the kind of quality and customer service that we strive for at Takeuchi every day. Through our new association with WRI Tractors, we’re able to expose more Texas farmers and ranchers to the Takeuchi brand, as well as the construction and landscape professionals who’ve come to rely on our equipment over the years.”
Kubota announces Hometown Proud grant recipients
Kubota Tractor Corp. announced 20 grant recipients in its fourth annual Kubota Hometown Proud grant program, which aims to support local nonprofit organizations and their unique initiatives across the country. Now, each of the 20 hometown projects will go to a public vote, and the project with the most votes in each of Kubota’s 10 operating districts will turn its $10,000 grant into a $50,000 grant.
“The Kubota Hometown Proud grant program was created four years ago as a way for Kubota to give back to our dealers’ hometowns in a meaningful way,” said Todd Stucke, president of Kubota Tractor Corp. and senior vice president for Kubota North America. “Today we are announcing more grants than ever before — for 20 nonprofits from various hometowns across the country — to help with community projects that will make a positive impact in these communities for years to come. We hope the next phase in our program generates even more hometown pride by rallying around each organization and helping to shine a light on the important work they all do.”
From now until August 14, at 11:59 p.m. CT, Kubota encourages voters to visit KubotaHometownProud.com and cast a vote for one of the 20 community projects. Every vote submitted will be automatically entered into a sweepstakes for the chance to win a Kubota residential Z200 Series zero-turn mower or BX Series sub-compact tractor. The community projects with the most votes will be announced in September.
The 2024 Kubota Hometown Proud grant program recipients and their projects that are now up for vote include:
- Ag Alley at Shanél Valley Academy, Hopland, Calif.
- Agricultural Education Space for Black Youth and Adult Land Stewards by Black Oregon Land Trust, Corbett, Ore.
- Barns Repair and Restore at AACORN Farm, Kalamazoo, Mich.
- Bristow Town Square Renovation by Bristow Historical Society, Bristow, Okla.
- Bryant City Park Improvement Project by Bryant Up & Coming, Bryant City Park, S.D.
- Cape Fear Heritage Garden at Cape Fear Botanical Gardens, Fayetteville, N.C.
- Denton Freedom House Gardens Project, Denton, Texas
- Developing Ag Opportunities for Residents at Bethel Hill by Advocates for Community Choice, Marthasville, Mo.
- Diamond Dream: Enhancing Youth Baseball & Softball Fields, Cross Plains, Texas
- Downtown Community Park by Leave it Better, Eastman, Ga.
- Friends of Distant Hill Accessible Nature Trail and Pavilion Project, Alstead, N.H.
- Growing Food and Opportunities by The Farm School at Gibbs Road, Kansas City, Kan.
- Growing Hometown Pride by Wello, Green Bay, Wis.
- High Tunnel House for Free Produce at Matthew 25 Farm, Tully, N.Y.
- New Heart: Feeding Those in Need by Fed By Faith, Joelton, Tenn.
- Pony Van for Stable Moments by Justin’s Place, Wilmore, Ky.
- Refugee Children Farm Educational Shelter by Transplanting Traditions Community Farm, Chapel Hill, N.C.
- UGArden Community Farm Stand at the Univ. of Georgia, Athens, Ga.
- Vocational Tech Program at the Lighthouse Ranch for Boys, Loranger, La.
- West Union Recreation Ballpark Restoration by Future Plans, West Union, Ohio
Jobber releases annual Blue-Collar Report
Jobber, a provider of home service software, released The Annual Blue-Collar Report. Based on survey responses from 1,000 students in the U.S. aged 18-20, the report provides insight into how Gen Z navigates education and career choices and offers solutions on how to inspire and encourage younger generations to consider taking advantage of all that blue-collar careers have to offer.
According to The Annual Blue-Collar Report, 76 percent of Gen Zs agree there is a stigma associated with going to vocational school over a traditional four-year university.
“If you own a home, you have a problem,“ said Sam Pillar, CEO and co-founder of Jobber. “While there is some renewed interest among the younger generation to pursue blue-collar careers, there’s still far too much work homeowners need done and not enough workers to do it. We need to do a better job showing Gen Z how incredible the opportunities in the trades are and encouraging them to consider that path.”
Key findings from the report provide deeper insights into why Gen Z is not pursuing blue-collar careers and how society can encourage younger generations to consider them.
According to Jobber’s report, Gen Z has been taught to measure success through a white-collar lens, but AI, the economy, and layoffs are changing their minds. Their concerns around white-collar careers are clear.
- One-third of Gen Z say that white-collar desk jobs are less stable today than they were for their parents’ generation.
- 41 percent of Gen Z agree that the potential for AI to replace jobs has made it harder to achieve the “American Dream” and 46 percent believe there will be fewer future job opportunities as a result.
- 70 percent of Gen Z say they are not optimistic about the future of the economy.
- When asked what would make a trade career more appealing, Gen Z described what blue-collar professions already offer, including flexible work hours (73 percent), job stability (61 percent) and overtime pay (58 percent).
Parents have blue-collar blindness, schools deserve a failing grade for blue-collar education, and Hollywood is doing hard work dirty.
- Family (51 percent) was identified as the biggest influence on Gen Z and the careers they chose to pursue by a significant margin.
- 61 percent of Gen Z say their parents haven’t spoken to them about vocational school or told them not to consider it.
- Just 17 percent of Gen Z say they have been educated on the benefits of vocational training following high school graduation. This was significantly lower than bachelor’s degree, community college, military service, and entrepreneurship.
- More than a third (35 percent) of Gen Z say television shows and movies have influenced the careers they want to explore and 47% describe trade professionals as being generally portrayed negatively (incompetent, unhealthy, and/or unhappy) in shows and movies.
While many workforces have evolved to accommodate the modern gender distribution of labor, the trades have yet to establish this balance.
- Nearly half (48 percent) of Gen Z agree that women are discouraged from pursuing trade careers from a young age.
- 58 percent of Gen Z say that women face more discrimination within trade careers—compared to other career options—with the majority of women (68 percent) believing this compared to men (47 percent).
In addition to survey data and insights, The Annual Blue-Collar Report offers testimonials from people like 27-year-old commercial and residential electrician Lexis Czumak-Abreu, who attests to the benefits of blue-collar work.
“I studied pre-med in school, intending to become a surgeon but decided to become an electrician instead. Many people in my family are electricians, including my dad. The salary is great, the hours are stable, and the work is very gratifying,” she said.
The Annual Blue-Collar Report highlights 10 specific calls to action for the general public, blue-collar professionals, policymakers and educators, and the media to help connect the dots between Gen Z’s fears and desires and the blue-collar opportunity in front of them, as well as eliminate the existing harmful stereotypes.
Whip Around earns ISO 27001 certification
Whip Around, a provider of fleet inspection and maintenance software solutions, announced it has achieved ISO 27001 certification.
Globally recognized as the premier information security standard, ISO 27001 certification demonstrates that an organization has implemented comprehensive information security controls and risk management processes.
“Achieving ISO 27001 certification is a significant accomplishment for Whip Around and reflects our commitment to protecting our customers’ sensitive information,” said Noah Hickey, CEO of Whip Around. “This certification not only validates our existing security measures but also provides a framework for continuous improvement in the growth of our business.”
Key aspects of Whip Around’s security approach include:
- A layered defense strategy that safeguards the organization and client data at multiple levels.
- Security and privacy built into solutions from inception.
- Continuous monitoring and risk reduction.
- A Trust Center portal offering comprehensive vendor security due diligence and risk assessment information.
Whip Around’s achievement of ISO 27001 certification comes at a time when information security is more critical than ever for businesses across industries. This certification provides clients with additional assurance that their data is protected by internationally recognized best practices and standards.
Albaugh dedicates mural at Missouri plant
In a ceremony held at the company’s manufacturing facility in St. Joesph, Mo., Dennis Albaugh, founder and chairman of Albaugh, formally dedicated a mural spanning the historic Stockyards Expressway as a gift to the city of St. Joseph, paying tribute to the rich heritage of the area. The dedication also coincides with the 45th anniversary of the founding of the company in 1979.
“Albaugh has called St. Joseph and the historic Stockyards Expressway our manufacturing home for more than 30 of our 45 years,” said Dennis Albaugh. “We’re proud to be part of this community and to provide some 240 jobs here. In 2023, we completed construction on a sky bridge that connects our production area to a new finished goods warehouse that occupies part of the ground where the St. Joseph Stockyards once stood. We know how important the Stockyards were, not only to the economy but also to the identity of this region, for so many years,” Dennis Albaugh explained. “As someone who has been involved in farming and the agriculture industry my entire life, it was important for me to pay tribute to the rich agricultural heritage of this area, including the Stockyards, as well as the historical significance of St. Joseph.”
The mural, which consists of 64 hand-painted panels, honors various milestones in St. Joseph’s history, from the origins of the Pony Express to the iconic Stockyards. It also pays homage to the area’s agricultural roots and Albaugh’s journey to becoming one of the largest crop protection companies globally. Artist Sam Welty, who has also completed murals in downtown St. Joseph, was commissioned for the artwork.
“It is my sincere hope that this beautiful mural will be enjoyed by the citizens and visitors of St. Joseph for generations to come,” Albaugh added.
Albaugh’s St. Joseph plant manufactures crop protection, seed treatment, and specialty products that serve agricultural and turf and ornamental customers around the U.S.
