Kubota and Echo Announce U.S. Dealer Alliance

TORRANCE, Calif. – February 11 — Kubota Tractor Corporation and ECHO Incorporated announced today a U.S. Dealer Alliance aimed at growing their combined sales within the commercial turf and consumer lawn and garden markets. As part of the alliance, ECHO and Shindaiwa will become the preferred brands of hand held outdoor power equipment within the Kubota dealer network. The alliance also names ECHO Bear Cat as a preferred brand of chippers, shredders, log splitters and wheeled trimmers within the Kubota dealer network.

According to Todd Stucke, Kubota Vice President of Agriculture and Turf Equipment, the Kubota dealer network includes over 1,100 sales and service locations. “We are excited about the opportunity to bring ECHO, Shindaiwa and ECHO Bear Cat products into the Kubota dealer network,” says Stucke. “These brands are well known in the market and they allow Kubota dealers to position a complete line up of products to commercial landscapers and homeowners alike.”

Mike Best, ECHO Vice President of Sales & Marketing, suggests that the alliance is a natural fit for the two companies. He explains, “There is a tremendous amount of synergy between our companies and brands.” ECHO Incorporated and Kubota Tractor Corporation both have parent companies headquartered in Japan, are both known for engineering and manufacturing professional grade products and both target commercial users and large land owners. “By leveraging our common strengths, both companies will be well positioned for future growth in the months and years ahead,” concludes Best.

A series of joint sales and marketing programs will be rolled out this year, at which time Kubota dealers can begin expanding their customer product offerings to include ECHO, Shindaiwa and ECHO Bear Cat products.

About Kubota Tractor Corporation

Kubota Tractor Corporation, Torrance, Calif., is the U.S. marketer and distributor of Kubota-engineered and manufactured equipment, including a complete line of tractors up to 118 PTO hp, performance-matched implements, hay tools and spreaders, compact and utility-class construction equipment, consumer lawn and garden equipment, commercial turf products and utility vehicles.

About ECHO Incorporated

ECHO Incorporated is a leading manufacturer of professional-grade outdoor power equipment for professional and homeowner use. The corporation markets its products primarily under the ECHO, Shindaiwa and ECHO Bear Cat brand names. The company is based in the Chicago suburbs.

Echo Incorporated Announces Tim Dorsey as New President

Chicago, IL – January 6 -- Effective January 1, 2014 Tim Dorsey becomes the second American President of outdoor power equipment manufacturer ECHO Incorporated, a subsidiary of Yamabiko Corporation of Japan. He replaces retiring President Dan Obringer.

Dorsey has worked for ECHO for 18 years in a variety of positions including the last seven years as Vice President of Systems and Logistics.  As a member of the Executive Team, Dorsey played a key role in the company’s growth and profitability over the years.

“The transition in leadership to Tim will be seamless,” says Obringer. “We have a great Executive Team and Tim has been a key member for the last seven years.  Our business has grown tremendously and I expect this momentum to continue and ECHO to grow and prosper under Tim’s leadership.”

Obringer, who has served as President for the past five years, will remain in an advisory capacity for the next year.

Dorsey and his family live in Cary, IL.  He is a graduate of DePaul University.

ECHO Incorporated is a leading manufacturer of professional-grade, high performance outdoor power equipment for professional and residential use. The corporation markets its products through independent dealers under the brand names ECHO, Shindaiwa, ECHO Bear Cat, and Crary. It also markets the ECHO brand through The Home Depot. The company is based in the Chicago suburbs.

Echo Expands in Lake Zurich to Accommodate Shindaiwa Merger

July 12 -- Echo Inc., maker of hand-held outdoor power equipment, opened its new 129,000-square-foot warehouse in Lake Zurich today.

The new facility at 400 Oakwood Road brings the total operation of the U.S. headquarters in the Lake County community to 540,000 square feet.

"We're just about ready to move in," said Joe Fahey, vice president of marketing for Echo, a company that has been in the United States for about 30 years.

The warehouse expansion is necessary to accommodate the merger with Shindaiwa about nine months ago. Shindaiwa, which was based in the Portland area, will move most of its operations to the new Lake Zurich warehouse.

"We brought the Shindaiwa operations here with the expansion so we can better serve our Shindaiwa dealers," Fahey said.

He added that the goal is to ultimately move more of the Shindaiwa operations from Japan.

"This will ultimately mean more local jobs," Fahey said.

Echo in Lake Zurich now employs more than 700 people at the office, manufacturing and warehouse complex in Lake Zurich.

"This is a big day for us. It's a culmination of all the efforts of the merger and bringing the brands together," Fahey said.

Echo develops and manufactures hand-held outdoor power equipment for commercial and high-end residential clients. Shindaiwa has focused more on the commercial market, Fahey added.

Top items for the privately held company include grass trimmers, blowers and chain saws.

Power edgers, bed re-definers, power pruners, sprayers, earth augers, water pumps and safety accessories are other items included under the Echo brand.

Founded as Kioritz Corp. of America in 1972, the company serves landscaping, arborist and industrial markets. It changed its name to Echo in 1978, and today operates as a subsidiary of Yamabiko Corp., a billion dollar company.