Great Plains Celebrates New

Great Plains Manufacturing hosted a celebration to kick off the production of a new piece of heavy equipment, the Kubota SVL75-3 compact track loader at its south Salina Construction Equipment (CE) facility.

According to Great Plains, the Kubota SVL75-3 is a versatile, mid-sized compact track loader for earthmoving, grading, site preparation, and material handling that will now be built by the employees of Great Plains Mfg. in addition to the Kubota factory in Sakai, Japan. All Kubota products built in the United States contain some globally sourced components and parts.

Chris Montgomery, CE Division Director, said, “Achieving approval for Kubota’s VL75-3 compact track loader is an important milestone for our company and the Salina area and reflects the dedication, resilience, and teamwork of our employees, along with the confidence Kubota Corporation has placed in our capabilities. Together, these strengths allow us to consistently deliver high-quality products that meet the needs and expectations of customers, positioning Great Plains Mfg. and the Salina community for continued growth and new opportunities in the years ahead.”

In 2022, production of the SVL65-2 compact track loaders (containing globally sourced components and parts) was moved from Japan to Salina to better align with consumer demand in North American markets. Similarly, Salina’s production of SVL75-3 will help Kubota more effectively serve U.S. contractors, construction companies,
commercial landscapers, agricultural producers, and property owners.

The kickoff celebration was attended by state and local dignitaries, as well as Great Plains Mfg. and Kubota employees. The event included speeches from U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, Deputy Secretary of Business Development for the Kansas Department of Commerce Joshua Jefferson, City of Salina Mayor Mike Hoppock, and Brian Arnold, General Manager of Kubota North America Manufacturing Unit.

This year, Great Plains Mfg. celebrated its 50th anniversary as a prominent employer and manufacturer in Central Kansas, and the company has recently experienced significant expansion with the Construction Equipment facility. The south Salina facility, formerly Signify, has added over 300 jobs to the Salina community since its grand opening in October 2022. Over $300 million in investments have been announced, including the renovation of the existing 750,000 sq. ft. facility, the installation of a state-of-the-art, automotive-grade paint line, the addition of a 57,000 sq. ft. research and development center (in progress), a million sq. ft. external testing and validation track, a 200,000 sq. ft. shipping warehouse, and more.

David Disberger, President and CEO of Great Plains Mfg., said, “With additional products like the Kubota SVL75-3, Great Plains Mfg. continues to experience exponential growth, and we continue to invest in our local community. As we bring resources on board to support products like the SVL75-3, we expect our workforce in this facility to grow to over 650 employees by 2030, creating great possibilities for our company, the city of Salina, and the
state of Kansas.”