Clay Eubanks, vice chairman of Takeuchi, is celebrating four decades with the company. In September 1984, Eubanks was a college student who began working part time in Takeuchi’s warehouse near Atlanta, cleaning up the facility and pulling parts from inventory. Over the next 40 years, Eubanks took on more and more responsibility, honing his knowledge of the equipment industry, and rising through the ranks to his current position.
A team that always puts the customer first
“I’ve had the opportunity to work with some of the most dedicated and passionate people in the industry right here at Takeuchi,” Eubanks says. “It’s been so special to learn and grow with such a great group that always puts the customer first. That’s been Mr. Takeuchi’s philosophy from day one. I can honestly say there’s never been a day when I questioned if we were doing the right thing. It is expected to always treat the customer how we would want to be treated.”
After his stint in the warehouse, Eubanks moved into a full-time role as Takeuchi’s central region sales manager based in Texas. He later moved back to Atlanta to run Takeuchi’s retail store, then became the company’s Southern region manager, eventually getting promoted to national sales manager, general manager, and finally, president of Takeuchi U.S. His current position as vice chairman of the board took him to Takeuchi’s global headquarters in Nagano, Japan, where he currently lives and works.
Demonstrating the potential of compact equipment
“I’m proud to have been a small part of growing two new segments in the construction industry — the compact excavator and the compact track loader — both products that Takeuchi was the first to develop,” Eubanks said. “In the early days, no one knew what these machines were, and it was a real thrill travelling the country and demonstrating what they could accomplish. What started out as laughter often turned to amazement.”
Eubanks says that, over the past 40 years, technology has had the greatest impact on the compact construction equipment industry. When he began his career with Takeuchi, there were no cell phones or tablet computers or even laptops. Machines were very basic and not connected in any way. Technology has truly made its mark, and he doesn’t see that trend changing anytime soon.
“I believe the industry will continue to evolve with more machine control and technology-driven features,” Eubanks said. “What won’t change is the need to listen to customers and provide what they want and need. It’s up to us to determine how technology can help us achieve that higher level of customer satisfaction.”
A workplace that supports employees and listens to customers
As Eubanks reflects on his long career path with Takeuchi, he hopes that other young people will be able to find a lifelong career with the company as he did back in 1984. “I want Takeuchi to continue providing a workplace that helps people from all walks of life support and raise their families while finding their own unique definition of personal fulfillment,” he says. “I believe we’ve created a culture of focusing on our customers and always listening to their needs, and I hope that we’ll continue to have a special place in our collective heart for our communities and our neighbors. I want Takeuchi to always be remembered — not for how many excavators or track loaders we’ve sold, but how we’ve made a difference in people’s lives.”
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