SHELLPLANT has surpassed 5,000 Kubota mini-excavator sales – and delivered a welcome boost for charity in the process.
The Northamptonshire-based company has been partnered with the manufacturer for around 25 years. It celebrated its 1,000th Kubota sale in 2011 and has reportedly seen demand for mini-diggers rise ‘rapidly’ since then.
Shellplant partner Julian Payne said, “We are delighted to reach this considerable Kubota milestone. We thought it fitting to mark our achievement in a positive way, and that is why we will be donating £5,000 to charity. The nominated charity is the local Riding for Disabled Group based in Mears Ashby. Their vision is to enrich the lives of disabled people through horses and their aim is to support an extra 10,000 people by 2025 so the money is much needed.”
Reflecting on a partnership with Kubota that spans 25 years, Julian added, “I remember the initial meeting where we agreed to sell 30 units a year. Now we surpass 500 annually, which is fantastic. I do think the rise in popularity around mini-excavators at the turn of the Millennium has played a major role in these numbers, alongside the reliability and popularity of Kubota’s machines.”
The 5,000th sale saw a Kubota U56-5 purchased by Charlie Morson of CM Services Agricultural and Groundwork Ltd.
However, Julian remembers the very first Kubota sold, back in 1997, which was a model K008 micro-excavator bought by Stable Hire of Rushden, Northamptonshire. They liked it so much that one month later they took delivery of an identical machine.
“I remember back then we were considering our options on how to grow the business and were talking to Kubota and one of its competitors,” Julian commented. “Ultimately, we made the decision to go with Kubota and have never looked back. Our customers return for the brand specifically, and that is down to great value for money, product reliability and residual value They also trust us to provide a very helpful and attentive service.”
