Komatsu expanding ‘mother plant’ in Texas

Designated a ‘mother plant’ within the network of Komatsu’s global facilities, the Longview facility has research and development, design and manufacturing capability on one campus. Photo: Komatsu

Komatsu is constructing an expanded office and administration building on its manufacturing campus in Longview, Texas.

The company broke ground on the 56,000-sq.-ft. project in July, targeting a move-in date of December 2023.

“We value our partnership with the city of Longview and this investment is a reflection of Komatsu’s commitment to the south side of the city,” says Jesse Dubberly, general manager of Longview operations at Komatsu. “With new investments in this campus of close to $100 million, our goal is to continue to demonstrate that we are a solid community partner that offers good, family-sustaining jobs.

“By taking functions that were spread across six buildings and consolidating them into one new energy-efficient facility, we are constructing a building that is designed to not only better serve our existing workforce, but is also sized for our future growth,” Dubberly adds.

In addition to office facilities for up to 230 people, Komatsu says the new building will house an employee center that includes a café, marketplace, indoor and outdoor seating, a multipurpose room and a Komatsu store. Additionally, the company says a customer experience center will showcase its legacy and ingenuity.

Longview is where the design and manufacturing of Komatsu’s electrical drive and switch reluctance hybrid drive systems takes place for the company’s electric-drive wheel loaders. Longview also supports Komatsu’s global mining business through manufacturing assembly of key parts and modules for electric rope shovels, rotary and track drills, trucks for surface mining, and underground hard rock mining trucks and wheel loaders.