Excavating excellence

Moses Eddy’s trajectory – from being Kobelco’s first employee in the country to leading a company that generated more than US$200 million in revenue in 2025 – has come down to two key pillars.

Eddy is a mechanical engineer with 35 years of experience in the construction industry. His leadership of heavy construction equipment company Kobelco over the past 18 years has been focused on establishing an effective organization with a unique culture and increasing market share by developing a wider and more affordable product portfolio – all while expanding reach across the country’s diverse array of languages, cultures and ways of working.

A winning culture

Perhaps the most challenging of those two pillars has been the first: finding and nurturing talent of the caliber and commitment required to turn Kobelco into the force that today has produced more than 20,000 machines and leads the 38-metric ton segment.

“The biggest challenge in India is capacity-building due to the different education systems and social backgrounds across the country, compared with more developed countries, where there is more equality across candidates,” Eddy tells The CEO Magazine.

“Many of the states in India operate independently, like countries with their own GDP, where things are controlled locally. So, how do we build a common understanding across our human talent pool in terms of the deliverables and skill sets required? The big challenge is developing uniformity across the skill set.”

To address this issue, Eddy has dedicated significant resources toward the company’s internal coaching and mentoring system, all aimed at shaping a culture of high standards.

“Mentoring and coaching are my passions. If someone can be better than Moses, I’ll be the happiest person. So I try to share whatever I can to make the world better, especially for the younger generation,” he says.

“Creating a unique Kobelco culture is what I have been working on over the past four years, so our stakeholders and customers can spot a Kobelco person just by the way they handle things. That’s one thing I think is really important for the future of this company, and I believe building uniformity in our people through training, coaching and mentoring will have a positive impact.”

A big part of Kobelco’s growth strategy over the next 18 months will be broadening its product range – not simply to sell more but to change perceptions about the affordability of its excavators, which are widely considered a premium product.

“We’re predominantly known as an original brand manufacturer. Sometimes, we have customers who would like to afford a Kobelco machine, but they think it’s expensive. So we have been thinking about how to reach those customers by modifying our products and giving solutions to those who are longing to buy something high-end,” Eddy explains.

“We are not only introducing new products but also doing what we can with our existing products to increase their affordability to make them available to more people.”

Cultivating lasting relationships

At Kobelco, progress is defined not only by scale but also by exemplary standards in manufacturing and engagement.

“Global quality and mutual trust form the foundation of how the brand thinks, builds and delivers,” Eddy notes.

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“Our partnership with Kobelco Construction Equipment goes far beyond business – Polyhose has grown by staying true to what matters: quality, reliability and customer partnership. Our global expansion, broad product range and engineering strength reflect our commitment to delivering solutions that perform with consistency. As we continue to innovate and invest in our people and technology, our focus remains on building lasting value for our customers and industry.” – Ali Asger SJ, Director, Polyhose

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Exporting to more than 16 countries and supported by a robust global supply chain, the brand is recognized for reliability and trust, which are built through proven performance, transparent partnerships and dependable support. This long-term, value-driven approach has established the company as a premium yet economical excavator brand and a trusted partner throughout the machine life cycle.

Rather than focusing on short-term changes, Kobelco prioritizes stability and continuity in its partnerships, Eddy says, allowing mutual understanding and trust to mature over time. This approach ensures consistency in product quality, operational efficiency and customer experience across markets.

“By delivering high-performance machines, dependable after-sales support and uncompromised quality, Kobelco has established itself as a trusted choice for customers and partners alike,” he confirms.

Toward sustainability

Sustainability is also a priority for Eddy, reducing emissions by using rail transport for machines, investing in solar power and engineering fuel-efficient, low-noise equipment suitable for urban environments, while also embarking on tree-planting initiatives. These factors also have a business benefit of being cost-effective, he acknowledges.

“Our equipment is known for being very fuel-efficient, so that really helps cut down a lot of emissions,” he reveals.

“We focus on market intelligence and work closely with the industry bodies and the government to understand the future of this business, especially regarding how the industry is moving in terms of emission norms and other compliance-related issues.

“It’s so important to be aware of what changes are coming in the future so that you can predict your growth.”

Eddy believes Kobelco’s partners also receive the benefit of that market intelligence.

“You should share your strengths with your partners so that they can plan their businesses in line with what you are thinking. That can make the biggest difference in your business,” he says.

“The knowledge that you share with your partners is going to be a key success factor in my opinion. They can’t spend as much money as you can to understand the market. So we are working heavily on that.”