Let The Good Times Roll
ATVs, Motorcycles, Utility Vehicles, Watercraft and
Power Products are just some of the unique consumer
products that have made the Kawasaki brand a
household name around the world.
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Kawasaki 2008 KX 250F |
From the class leading Ninja® sportbikes and
thundering Vulcan™ cruisers to the rugged Brute
Force™ ATVs, MULE™ utility vehicles and JET SKI®
watercraft, Kawasaki products lead the powersports
industry around the globe.
The secret of Kawasaki's
success is in designing and manufacturing products
that offer balanced performance, high quality,
reliability and excellent fit and finish.
So take a
look at what Kawasaki has to offer you in the way of
Leading Edge products! |
Kawasaki Motors Corporation U.S.A.
Hard work and a dream. That's what established
American Kawasaki Motorcycle Corp. way back in March
of 1966. The first headquarters, an old meat
warehouse in Chicago, was a humble beginning for the
factory team sent to open the U.S. market.
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Kawasaki 2008 Brute Force 750 4x4i |
They started with practically nothing - no
customers, no distributors and no image.
But
they had something more important - a strong
desire to succeed and a promise from the factory
to supply the best products.
The fledgling entrepreneurs negotiated with
several private companies around the United
States to distribute the first bikes, which were
small two strokes sold under the brand name of
Omega.
But U.S. riders wanted more excitement,
so the factory |
quickly responded with a pair of potent rotary
valve twins called the Samurai and Avenger. Here
was the first indication that Kawasaki would
become a company specializing in
high-performance fun.
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Kawasaki 2008 KFX 450R ATV |
These bikes were sold under the Kawasaki name --
and there was a second operation, Eastern
Kawasaki Motorcycle Corp., to handle east coast
distribution.
In 1968, this firm and the
original Chicago company merged to form Kawasaki
Motors Corp., U.S.A. (KMC) in Southern
California.
In 1969, the incredible Mach III 500cc
two-stroke triple launched Kawasaki's
performance image around the world. |
By the time of the legendary four
cylinder 900cc Z1 in 1973, Kawasaki was
a major power in the
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Kawasaki 2008 Teryx 4x4 NRA Outdoors |
motorcycle industry, and KMC was building its own unified
distribution network to offer dealers and
customers better service.
Diversification came early when Kawasaki
pioneered the personal watercraft business in
1973.
Today our JET SKI watercraft brand is a
leader in an
exploding market.
The 1980's saw further
expansion into ATVs & utility vehicles.
Today, KMC's annual revenue tops 1.6
billion dollars. |
There are approximately 480 employees and more than
1,500 dealers.
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Kawasaki 2008 Ninja ZX-10R |
Our bestselling
Ninja® sportbikes, classic Vulcan™ cruisers,
rugged ATV and Mule™ utility vehicles and
exclusive JET SKI® watercraft form the
foundation of our Good Times Company image.
Besides the headquarters building in Irvine,
California, KMC has regional sales offices
and/or distribution centers in Piscataway, New
Jersey; Atlanta, Georgia; Fort Worth, Texas, and
Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Kawasaki Motors
Manufacturing Corp., U.S.A. of Lincoln, Nebraska
operates a small engine manufacturing plant in
Maryville, Missouri. |
Kawasaki Motors Manufacturing Corp., U.S.A. (KMM),
Lincoln, Nebraska and Maryville, Missouri
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Kawasaki 2008 Vulcan 1600 Classic |
Kawasaki was the first foreign vehicle
manufacturer to open a manufacturing plant in
the U.S.A.
Several far-sighted Kawasaki
executives germinated the idea way back in 1974,
and it was simple.
If you're selling in America,
why not build there too -- save time, save
shipping and employ local labor.
It worked, and
years later firms like Nissan, Toyota, VW and
Honda followed Kawasaki's lead.
Since personnel are the most important part of
any business, KMM strives to make working
conditions safe and comfortable. |
Kawasaki
employees, working as a team, insure that the
same quality standards are incorporated through
all processes. Each worker takes personal
responsibility for quality and feels pride in a
job well done.
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Kawasaki 2008 MULE 3010 Trans 4x4 Diesel |
The consumer products manufacturing facility in
Lincoln, located on 335 acres of land, has grown
since its opening in 1974.
Fom the original
286,000 square feet to nearly 1.3 million square
feet of manufacturing, office and warehouse
space.
In 2001, the rail car plant was completed
at the Lincoln site, adding 437,000 square feet
for light rail car manufacturing.
Over 1,000
people work at the Lincoln facilities, making KMM
a major employer in the Lincoln area. |
In
1989 the Maryville Plant was opened for
production of general purpose engines. The
Maryville facility has grown to over 700,000
square feet on 113.7 acres of land employing
over 600 people.
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Kawasaki 2008 Teryx 750 4x4 LE |
KMM Research and Development
Centers are located at the Lincoln and Maryville
facilities to meet customer demands as quickly
as possible.
The plant operates on a "just in time" supply
method which eliminates expensive warehousing
and over-ordering of parts.
Production methods
combine the best of Japanese and American
techniques, resulting in the unique Kawasaki
Production System, of which we're quite proud.
For instance, certain parts and pieces are made
on special presses located right on the assembly
line. |
This means no shortages or excess
inventory on these items for more efficiency and
less cost. In many cases, it also means the
worker makes the part he assembles, and thus
enjoys a full sense of accomplishment.
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