A family-owned Dutch company that makes front-end attachments for tractors has opened its first U-S distribution center — in northeast Iowa. Zuidberg (ZUD-berg) North America has been in business since 1982 building custom-designed hitches in the Netherlands. Company president Rudolf de Jong (dee YUNG) says it will start out small in Cedar Falls but there are plans to expand.  “Our goal is to grow to between 20 and 30-percent per year,” de Jong says. “That means that after three to four years, we hope to employ up to 50 people.” According to de Jong, Zuidberg makes equipment being sold to customers in 45 countries which allows several types of implements to be attached to the front of tractors instead of the rear.

He says, “We sell directly to tractor manufacturers, farm equipment manufacturers and to tractor dealerships all around the country.” The implements allow farmers to mow with equipment on both the front and the back of their tractors. He says it’s more efficient and it also increases the farmers’ comfort because they can face forward instead of constantly turning from side to side.

(Radio Iowa)