ATLANTA (Dec. 4, 2023) — On Nov. 30, Akio Takeuchi was inducted into the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) Hall of Fame during AEM’s Annual Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. A few weeks past his 90th birthday and the 60th anniversary of founding the company, Takeuchi traveled from Japan to receive this honor for a lifetime of hard work, innovation and achievement. He is the first person from Asia to be inducted into the AEM Hall of Fame.
In 1963, Takeuchi founded Takeuchi Manufacturing Co. Ltd. and asked himself, “What problems do my customers have, and how can I help solve those problems?” A few years later, a local business partner and builder asked him to develop a machine that would help his employees do their jobs faster, easier and with less manual labor. The result was the world’s first compact excavator. Takeuchi’s desire to keep innovating continued in 1980 with the world’s first offset boom, allowing the operator to dig on either side of the machine.
In September 1986, Takeuchi developed the world’s first track loader after Akio Takeuchi noticed a conventional wheeled skid-steer loader getting stuck in the mud, rendering it useless. The first use of hydraulic pilot controls took place that same year, allowing for precise operation of the machine and attachments. More recently, Takeuchi met the wave of electrification head on, introducing the new TB20e electric excavator in February 2022.
To this day, Takeuchi listens to the ideas and opinions of the people who are closest to the end user to develop products that best meet their needs. The company’s corporate motto and business philosophy are based on the “Takeuchi Way,” which emphasizes quality, customer satisfaction and environmental sustainability.
Visit takeuchi-us.com and aem.org.
