What KATO-Compact Excavator Sales does

KATO-Compact Excavator Sales (KATO CES) is the exclusive North American distributor of KATO Works Co., Ltd. (Japan) compact and large construction equipment, operating from a single headquarters in Elizabethtown, Kentucky with 11–50 employees. Founded in 1994 as Compact Excavator Sales by Mike and Markie Smith originally to distribute IHI compact equipment, the company transitioned to the KATO brand in 2016 when KATO Works acquired IHI Construction Machinery. Its product portfolio spans the HD9V5 through HD85V5 mini excavator series, HD308US-7 through HD823MR-7 large excavators, IC37 through IC120 crawler carriers (including rotating 110R/IC70R models), the CL35 track loader, AS12 skid steer, SC-series concrete buggies, and CMX brush mowers, with a battery/electric mini excavator line (9VXB, 9VXE, 17VXB, 17VXE) addressing zero-emission applications. KATO CES also serves as the East Coast distributor for Canycom carriers and brush cutters and offers Harford Attachments' Safelock, Uni-Lok, and Pro-Lok quick couplers.

The company's business model is a two-tier hardware distribution operation: it sells equipment to authorized dealers and rental houses across the United States and Canada, who in turn supply contractors, utilities, municipalities, and end users. Revenue streams include equipment sales (hardware), OEM parts, and service support (warranty claims, service agreements). Equipment pricing is not publicly disclosed and is quoted through dealers, with 0% APR for 48 months financing available through a partnership with Oakmont Finance. Go-to-market is concentrated at major industry trade shows (CONEXPO-CON/AGG, ARA Show, World of Concrete, AED Summit) and reinforced by industry association memberships (ARA, AEM, IPAF, AED). The company self-describes as the largest supplier of KATO mini excavators, track loaders, and crawler carriers in the world.

Name

KATO-Compact Excavator Sales

Legal name

KATO-Compact Excavator Sales

Website

https://katoces.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

KATO-Compact Excavator Sales is the exclusive North American distributor of Japanese-made KATO mini excavators, large excavators, crawler carriers, track loaders, and concrete buggies, selling exclusively through authorized dealers and rental houses across the U.S. and Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Construction Equipment

NAICS

Construction Machinery Manufacturing (333120)

SIC

Construction Machinery & Equip (3531), Wholesale-Construction & Mining (No Petro) Machinery & Equip (5082)

akta.pro primary industry

Excavators (IMAHAAAA)

Keywords

• Compact excavators
• Crawler carriers
• Construction equipment distribution
• Track loaders
• Battery excavators

Headquarters

HQ city

Elizabethtown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Equipment Sales: Sale of new construction equipment including mini excavators, large excavators, crawler carriers, track loaders, skid steers, concrete buggies, and brush cutters to dealers and rental houses
2. OEM Parts: Sale of original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts for all KATO products
3. Service: Service support including world-class service, service agreements, and warranty claims processing

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

KATO-Compact Excavator Sales distributes Japanese-manufactured construction equipment (mini excavators, large hydraulic excavators, crawler carriers, track loaders, skid steers, concrete buggies, brush cutters, and battery/electric excavators) to authorized dealers and rental houses throughout the United States and Canada. The company also supplies OEM replacement parts and offers service agreements with warranty support, acting as the exclusive North American distributor for parent company KATO Works Co., Ltd.

Product overview

KATO Compact Excavator Sales distributes a comprehensive lineup of Japanese-made construction equipment throughout North America. The product portfolio centers on mini excavators (HD9V5 through HD85V5 series) and large excavators (HD308US-7, HD514MR-7, HD512LC-7, HD823MR-7), complemented by crawler carriers (IC37 through IC120 series including rotating IC70R and IC110R models), track loaders (CL35), skid steers (AS12), concrete buggies (SC-45, SC-75 series under Canycom brand), and brush cutters (CMX series). The company also offers battery and electric-powered mini excavators (9VXB, 9VXE, 17VXB, 17VXE) for zero-emission applications. Equipment is available through a dealer and rental house network across the United States and Canada, with financing options through Oakmont Finance. Harford Attachments provides compatible quick coupler systems (Safelock, Uni-Lok, Pro-Lok) for KATO excavators.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Canycom: A product line of carriers for agriculture, construction, forestry, and more, serving the carrier market since 1955. Distributed in North America through KATO CES as Canycom East Coast distributor.

Products and services

• HD9V5 Mini Excavator Ultra-mini zero tail swing excavator with 9.9 HP, 2,400 lbs operating weight, 5'2" max digging depth; expandable tracks for tight spaces. Sold to dealers, rental houses, and contractors.
• HD17V5 Mini Excavator Compact mini excavator with 14.1 HP, 4,261 lbs operating weight, 7'2" max digging depth; YANMAR 3TNV74F engine. Sold through dealer and rental network.
• HD25V5 Mini Excavator Compact excavator with 23.6 HP, 5,919 lbs operating weight, 8' max digging depth; Kubota D1305-E4B engine and zero tail swing design.
• HD30V5 Mini Excavator Mini excavator with 23 HP, 7,084 lbs operating weight, 9'9" max digging depth; zero tail swing with high digging force.
• HD35N5 Mini Excavator Mid-sized mini excavator with 23 HP, 7,979 lbs operating weight, 10'4" max digging depth; redesigned with increased cabin space.
• HD35V5 Mini Excavator Compact excavator for demanding excavation with 23 HP, 8,082 lbs operating weight, 10'11" max digging depth; YANMAR 3TNV88F engine.
• HD50V5 Mini Excavator Mini excavator with 43.5 HP, 10,830 lbs operating weight, 12'7" max digging depth; zero tail swing with 10% increased digging force.
• HD55N4 Mini Excavator Rugged mini excavator with 63.8 HP, 12,733 lbs operating weight, 12'8" digging depth; YANMAR-4TNV98C engine and variable displacement piston pumps.
• HD60V5 Mini Excavator Mini excavator with 43.5 HP, 12,351 lbs operating weight, 13'3" max digging depth; Kubota V2403-CR-E5B engine and zero tail swing design.
• HD85V5 Mini Excavator Largest mini excavator in KATO lineup with 57 HP, 19,595 lbs operating weight, 14'2" max digging depth; zero tail swing with YANMAR 4TNV98C engine.
• HD308US-7 Large Excavator Large hydraulic excavator with 54.7 HP, 19,750 lbs operating weight, 15' max digging depth; Yanmar YDN-4 TNV 98C engine and 34+ gallon fuel tank.
• HD514MR-7 Large Excavator Large excavator built for tight jobsite conditions with 105 HP, 31,085 lbs operating weight, 18'2" max digging depth.
• HD512LC-7 Large Excavator Large excavator with 105 HP, 28,429 lbs operating weight; recipient of the Equipment Today Top 50 Contractors' Award (2018).
• HD823MR-7 Large Excavator Powerful large hydraulic excavator with 172 HP, 54,050 lbs operating weight, 21'1" max digging depth; 7" LCD touchscreen monitor.
• 9VXB Battery Mini Excavator Ultra-mini battery-powered excavator with 2,375 lbs operating weight, 5'2" digging depth; 50 amp power supply, 5 hp Baldor electric motor, zero emissions.
• 9VXE Electric Mini Excavator Ultra-mini electric excavator with 2,060 lbs operating weight, 2,360 lbs digging force; 50 AMP power supply, Baldor 5 hp motor, zero emissions.
• 17VXB Battery Mini Excavator Battery-powered mini excavator with 4,200 lbs operating weight, 7' max digging depth; electric motor with Li-Ion battery and 8-hour run time.
• 17VXE Electric Mini Excavator Electric mini excavator with zero emissions, 3,583 lbs operating weight, 7'0" max digging depth; Ruesland 15 H.P. 3PH 480V motor.
• IC37 Crawler Carrier Compact crawler carrier with 8,157 lbs payload, 62.7 HP Kubota V2403-CR engine; 12'6" length and 6,415 lbs transport weight.
• IC55 Crawler Carrier Mid-size crawler carrier with 11,000 lbs payload, 105 HP Kubota V3800 engine; three-way opening vessel and customizable options.
• IC70R Crawler Carrier Rotating crawler carrier with 15,000 lbs payload, 188 HP Kubota V5009 engine; 360-degree rotation and ROPS cabin with heater/AC.
• IC100-5 Crawler Carrier Heavy-duty crawler carrier with 22,050 lbs payload, 256 HP Cummins B6.7 engine; 82.4 gallon fuel tank and boat-shaped rear opening vessel.
• IC110R Crawler Carrier Rotating crawler carrier with 24,250 lbs payload, 257 HP Cummins B6.7 engine; 360-degree rotating upper structure and boat-shaped scoop end vessel.
• IC120 Crawler Carrier Large crawler carrier with 24,250 lbs payload, 289 HP Cummins QSL9 engine; 95 gallon fuel tank and 7.5-10.0 cubic feet vessel capacity.
• S25A Pivot Dump Crawler Carrier Heavy-duty compact carrier with 5,510 lbs payload, 46 HP Kubota diesel engine; 180-degree pivoting dump bed and 25-degree gradeability.
• CL35 Track Loader All-new fully redesigned track loader with 62 HP Kubota V2403-CR engine; 7,804 lbs operating weight and 12.7 ft3 bucket capacity.
• AS12 Skid Steer Rubber tire skid steer loader with 21 HP Yanmar diesel engine; 2,955 lbs operating weight and 728 lbs SAE load capacity.
• SC-45 Concrete Buggy Compact walk-behind concrete buggy with 1,000 lbs payload; 463 lbs operating weight, 29" width for confined spaces (Canycom brand).
• SC-75 Pivot Dump Concrete Buggy Rubber track concrete buggy with 16 cubic feet capacity, 22 HP engine; 180-degree pivot dump and hydrostatic drive (Canycom brand).
• SC-75 Forward Dump Concrete Buggy Rubber track concrete buggy with 16 cubic feet capacity, 22 HP engine; 90-degree dump angle and hydrostatic drive (Canycom brand).
• CMX 1402 Brush Mower Compact all-terrain brush mower with 14 HP engine, 720 lbs weight; 4WD with 25-degree gradeability and adjustable cutter deck 0-6 inches.
• CMX 2402 Brush Mower Compact all-terrain brush mower with 24 HP engine, 750 lbs weight; 4WD, hydrostatic drive, and adjustable cutter deck 0-6 inches.
• OEM Parts and Service Support Sale of original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts for all KATO products, plus service agreements, world-class service support, and warranty claims processing for dealers, rental houses, and end users.
• Oakmont Finance Equipment Financing Flexible equipment financing offered through Oakmont Finance, including 0% APR for 48 months promotional financing subject to credit approval.

Quantifiable outcome

• Largest supplier of KATO mini excavators, track loaders, and crawler carriers worldwide

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Harford AttachmentscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009KATO CES offers Harford Attachments' Safelock, Uni-Lok, and Pro-Lok couplers as well as complete range of buckets for their excavator line. Harford Attachments are manufactured in the UK and distributed globally. KATO and Harford have been working together for 15 years to provide quality, durable, and safest attachments.
• American Rental Association (ARA)minorOthersKATO CES is a proud member of the American Rental Association (ARA). Membership allows the company to stay up-to-date on the latest industry news and trends.
• Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM)minorOthersKATO CES is a member of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM). Membership allows the company to stay up-to-date on the latest industry news and trends.
• International Powered Access Federation (IPAF)minorOthersKATO CES is a member of the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF). Membership allows the company to stay up-to-date on the latest industry news and trends.
• Associated Equipment Distributors (AED)minorOthersKATO CES is a member of Associated Equipment Distributors, participating in industry events such as AED Summit and AED Career Awareness Day.
• KATO WorkscoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerKATO Works Co., Ltd., headquartered in Japan, is the parent company of KATO CES. KATO Works acquired IHI Construction Machinery's compact equipment line in 2016. KATO Works has been in equipment manufacturing since 1895, providing 130+ years of engineering excellence.
• Elizabethtown Community & Technical CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKATO CES participated in AED Career Awareness Day at Elizabethtown Community & Technical College, supporting workforce development in the equipment and manufacturing sector as part of AED's Vision 2025 Campaign.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Caterpillar Inc. Caterpillar is the world's largest construction equipment manufacturer, with a full line of large and mini excavators distributed through an extensive Cat dealer network in North America. A broad incumbent against which KATO CES competes on the smaller/compact end of the excavator market.
• Komatsu America: Komatsu is a major global construction equipment manufacturer with a deep North American dealer network selling compact and large excavators. A broader incumbent competitor to KATO CES in the excavator category, with greater scale and an in-house finance arm.

Direct peers

• Bobcat Company: Bobcat (Doosan Bobcat North America) manufactures compact excavators, skid steers, and track loaders sold through a large North American dealer network — overlapping head-to-head with KATO CES's mini excavator and track loader lineup in the rental and contractor markets.
• Wacker Neuson: Wacker Neuson produces compact excavators alongside wheel loaders and skid steers for the construction and rental markets in North America. Comparable to KATO CES in product range, dealer-distribution model, and customer base (rental houses, contractors, municipalities).
• Kubota North America: Kubota manufactures compact excavators and construction equipment sold through an extensive North American dealer network. Kubota is a direct competitor to KATO CES in mini excavators and shares the same Japanese engineering heritage and dealer/rental channel approach.
• Yanmar Compact Equipment: Yanmar manufactures compact excavators and construction equipment with deep North American distribution. Comparable to KATO in size of mini excavators, Japanese engineering background, and shared customer base in rental and construction, with several KATO models actually using Yanmar engines.
• Takeuchi-US (Takeuchi Mfg.): Takeuchi is a Japanese manufacturer of compact track loaders and mini excavators sold through an exclusive North American dealer network, directly comparable to KATO Works' compact line distributed by KATO CES. Both compete in the same rental house and contractor channels with similarly sized compact excavators.
• JCB North America: JCB produces compact and mini excavators sold through a North American dealer network. Compares to KATO CES in compact excavator product focus and dealer-based distribution channel serving contractors and rental houses.

Emerging players

• Link-Belt Construction Equipment: Link-Belt (parent LBX Company) manufactures mid-to-large hydraulic excavators distributed through a regional North American dealer network. Comparable to KATO CES's large excavator line (HD308, HD514MR, HD823MR) for contractors and rental houses.

Others

• Montabert (Stanley Equipment): Distributor and manufacturer of hydraulic breakers and attachments often paired with compact excavators. Comparable to KATO CES's partnership with Harford Attachments and the broader excavator attachment ecosystem that KATO CES supports for its dealer network.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kato-compact-excavator-sales

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about KATO-Compact Excavator Sales