In a special ceremony, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal joined leaders from both Kubota Manufacturing of America (KMA) and Kubota Industrial Equipment (KIE) as they jointly announced a $1 million donation to the Lanier Technical College Foundation in support of its Technology and Industry Building on its new campus set to open in January 2019.
Part of the Technical College System of Georgia, LTC serves Hall County and the surrounding area with career-technical education programs and customized business and industry training. Its mission is to meet the workforce development needs of the area to support the economic well-being of the people, communities and companies in North Georgia.
Mr. Hirohiko Arai, Kubota Manufacturing of America and Kubota Industrial Equipment’s newly-appointed president as of January 2018, addressed the crowd gathered for the event establishing the donation as both a tribute to the past and an investment in the current and future workforce. “This year marks an important milestone as we celebrate our 30th anniversary since Kubota started business here in Georgia,” said Mr. Arai. “There were only 44 members when we started, and now we have become one of the leading Kubota factories with over 2,500 team members. Looking into the future, we acknowledge that education for younger generations is indispensable as they will play a leading role in growing business for the benefit of society.”
The ceremony included Dr. Ray Perren, president of Lanier Technical College, who said, “We are very pleased Kubota continues to recognize the importance of our work here in Hall County and we are thrilled that the company has pledged its support in such a monumental way. We know Kubota will see a return on their investment for years to come as we train our student workforce for job opportunities with Kubota and beyond.”
Kubota has been operating in the state of Georgia for more than 40 years, setting up its first operations in Norcross. In the mid-1980s, Kubota purchased its first office building in the state at the current Kubota Tractor Corporation Southeast Division headquarters in Suwanee. Since that time, Kubota has further expanded its operations in Georgia to include KMA in Gainesville, which produces utility vehicles and zero-turn mowers; KIE in Jefferson, which produces Kubota equipment and implements, including loaders and backhoes; and, a newly-expanded National Distribution Center (NDC) also in Jefferson. Today, KMA and KIE employ more than 2,500 team members in Gainesville and Jefferson, Georgia, respectively.
