Two new additions to AEMs Hall of Fame

The AEM Hall of Fame has been running since 1993

US-based membership organisation the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) has added two leading figures from construction into its Hall of Fame.

Akio Takeuchi, the founder of Takeuchi Manufacturing, and Susanne Cobey, CEO of Eagle Crusher have both been added into the Hall of Fame. Both are credited with spearheading innovative product segments.

“AEM takes great pride in welcoming Susanne Cobey and Akio Takeuchi to our Hall of Fame roster of esteemed industry leaders,” said AEM President Megan Tanel. “They both serve as inspiration for the next generation to cultivate and pursue transformative ideas for the industry and the betterment of all.”

Akio Takeuchi has been part of the construction equipment industry for six decades. In 1963, at the age of 29, Takeuchi founded Takeuchi Manufacturing.

When a local business partner asked Takeuchi to create a new machine that would help his employees do their jobs faster, easier and with less manual labour the result was the world’s first compact excavator. Since then, Takeuchi Manufacturing has presented more innovations, including the first offset boom excavator and the first compact track loader.

Eagle Crusher is a leading manufacturer of heavy-duty crushing and screening equipment. When significant industry changes in the 1980s impacted Eagle Crusher, Cobey spearheaded the commercial recycling industry in the US, building the first US commercial recycling plant, Eagle Crusher’s Jumbo 1400, in 1984. Her innovations created a new product line for Eagle Crusher, and a new American industry.

A female pioneer in a male-dominated industry, Cobey has dedicated herself to helping other women in the industry succeed. She has addressed the topic of women in the industry in numerous videos and news articles and serves as a key-note speaker and role model.

The AEM Hall of Fame has been recognising leading figures in the agriculture and construction equipment manufacturing industry since 1993. The induction of Takeuchi and Cobey brings the total number of inductees to 69.