Bobcat Tractor

[john in la]

Was at the local Bobcat dealer yesterday and saw the new tractors on display. Looked like a OK machine but after looking on the net I see they are made by Daedong (per external_link) in Korea. This is the same company that makes Kioti tractors to be sold in the U.S.

So this makes one wonder why a company like Bobcat would risk its reputation of having one of the toughest; best built (skid steer) lines of equipment by putting its name on some off brand piece of junk made in Korea.

 

[JMS/.MN]

Isn"t that the company that bought Bobcat, last year or so?

 

[farmall400]

The answer to your question is one the Bobcat people would rather you didn't know. They are now owned by those same Koreans that make some of that junk you were talking about. I actually think it is Daewoo who bought them. You will soon be seeing there engines in the bobcat.

 

[john in la]

Maybe. I did not know they were sold. Still thought they were U.S. owned.
If Bobcat was bought by them there skid steers may suffer in the process.

 

[john in la]

That may explain why the engine manufactor for the tractor is listed as N/A.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Bobcat has not made a GOOD skid-steer in 10 years ever since they started with all the computer/electronic controls, reputation is all they have been going on since. So slap a name people recognize on a tractor and let the name sell it. Worked for John Deere/Yanmar, Ford/NH/Shibaura, etc. Kioti's not a bad tractor 'tho. Doosan (sp?) is who bought Bobcat dont know of any affiliation but there may be.

 

[john in la]

Just found the below info on the net. It does explain why Bobcat is now selling Korea junk.



the family controlled Doosan Group bought a controlling stake in the faltering Daewoo Heavy Industries & Machinery from its bankrupt parent, the Daewoo Group, and renamed it Doosan Infracore


With the U.S. housing market on the skids, Ingersoll-Rand is parting ways with its Bobcat construction vehicle division, sending it to the booming Far East. South Korea’s Doosan Infracore will pay $4.9 billion for the maker of compact excavators, as well as other Ingersoll-Rand units

 

[molinebob]

looks like a good little tractor.

 

[Gun guru]

It looks like another company wants to make a Utility tractor. All same sizes as Kubota, Deere, NH/caseIH and cub cadet. I believe it is the same as the Kioti Korean machines.

 

[dp in nd]

I believe that the tractor is still made overseas. Bobcat was bought by Doosan Infracore from Ingersoll- Rand a year ago in December. We have been layed off for the past 8 weeks. We go back to work on Monday Feburary 16.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Remond me NEVER to buy a new Bobcat....
I've been around a few of those Kioti's. They make good lawn mowers and driveway bladers, but that's about as far as it goes. It won't be long and we'll be sending them back to China as scrap iron.

 

[Josh S.]

dp in nd you must be pretty darn close to me. I live just north of gwinner on 32. my father in law can't wait to get back to work.

 

[Anonymous-0]

is also owned by the korens. was sold about a year ago to Dooson.

 

[JMS/.MN]

FYI- Bobcat got started in a blacksmith shop in Rothsay, MN- Keller Bros. Local turkey farmer, Eddie Velo, back in the 50s, wanted a little machine he could hoist into the second story of a turkey barn, and clean out the manure. Bros came up with a planetary drive with a crazy wheel behind, was seen by some guys from Melroe Mfg, (they made tine harrows, and other?) Gwinner, ND, and developed into a 4wd, then progressively, into what it is today. I kept a copy of the Bobcat magazine , 25th anniversary edition...interesting reading and good original pix through the years. Now...foreign owned! SUX!!!!

 

[dp in nd]

Josh , Small world ,I live in Delamere, about 18 miles east of Gwinner. Back to work on Monday.