Shohei Ohtani Named Global Brand Ambassador for LANDCROS as Hitachi Construction Machinery Prepares for 2027 Identity Change

Hitachi Construction Machinery has appointed baseball star Shohei Ohtani as global brand ambassador for LANDCROS, adding one of the world's most recognizable athletes to the company's campaign ahead of its planned corporate and brand transition in April 2027.

The appointment was announced on August 4, 2026. It arrives during a significant period for Hitachi Construction Machinery, which is preparing to change its corporate name to LANDCROS Corporation and replace the Hitachi Construction Machinery brand on equipment with LANDCROS. The company has spent several years building the new identity and says the change represents a broader shift toward customer-focused solutions, open collaboration and technology that extends beyond the machine itself.

Why an Equipment Manufacturer Chose a Global Sports Figure

Construction-equipment companies traditionally market themselves through jobsite performance, dealer relationships and industry events. Choosing an internationally known athlete represents a different kind of strategy.

Ohtani's profile reaches far beyond the construction industry. His success as a two-way baseball player has made him one of the most visible Japanese athletes in the world, with especially strong recognition in Japan and the United States — two strategically important markets for Hitachi Construction Machinery.

The ambassador role gives LANDCROS a human face during a transition that could otherwise feel abstract to customers. A company name change is difficult to communicate because the organization must explain both change and continuity at the same time.

Hitachi Construction Machinery wants customers to understand that the brand name is changing while product quality, dealer support and the familiar orange identity remain. A high-profile ambassador can help make that message more memorable.

The LANDCROS Name Has a Specific Meaning

LANDCROS is not simply a shortened or modernized version of the existing company name. Hitachi Construction Machinery says the word combines "LAND" with four values represented by "CROS": Customer, Reliable, Open and Solutions.

The concept reflects the company's ambition to become a broader solutions provider.

"LAND" represents the physical foundation of the construction and mining industries and the company's vision of supporting prosperous land and society. The "CROS" portion expresses a customer-centered approach, reliable products and services, open collaboration with partners, and integrated solutions.

The company has been developing the concept for years. More than 3,000 employees participated in an internal process that produced approximately 5,000 ideas before LANDCROS was selected.

That employee involvement is significant because large rebrands often fail when they are perceived as purely executive or marketing decisions. By connecting the name to internal values, Hitachi Construction Machinery is trying to make LANDCROS part of the company's operating identity rather than simply a new logo.

The Corporate Change Happens in April 2027

Hitachi Construction Machinery plans to change its name to LANDCROS Corporation on April 1, 2027. Until then, customers will see a transition period.

In North America, the company has said equipment will carry a secondary LANDCROS decal alongside existing Hitachi branding before the full change. After the official launch, the LANDCROS name will replace the current Hitachi decal on new equipment.

The company has repeatedly emphasized that the engineering and manufacturing processes will not change solely because of the rebrand. The orange corporate color will also remain.

This continuity is important because Hitachi-branded excavators and mining equipment have decades of market recognition. Removing a well-known name creates risk if customers interpret the change as a change in product origin, quality or support.

Hitachi Construction Machinery is therefore positioning LANDCROS as an evolution of the existing business rather than a break from it.

Why the Hitachi Name Is Being Replaced

The transition is connected to Hitachi Construction Machinery's evolution as a more independent company following its separation from the Hitachi Group structure.

The company has described the period as a "second founding." It wants a distinct identity that can support its strategy for the next century rather than relying on a corporate name inherited from its historical relationship with Hitachi.

The company began considering a name change years ago as its global business expanded and customer expectations changed.

Construction-equipment manufacturers today are increasingly expected to provide more than machines. Customers want fleet data, automation, digital maintenance tools, remote operation, financing, productivity services and integrated jobsite solutions.

LANDCROS is intended to communicate that wider role.

Ohtani Fits the Theme of Global Expansion

The choice of Ohtani also aligns with the company's international growth priorities.

Hitachi Construction Machinery has identified North America, Latin America, mining, and parts and service as important areas under its LANDCROS 2028 management plan. The company says it aims to establish a top-three position in the global construction and mining machinery industry by 2030.

North America is particularly important because the company has been rebuilding and expanding its direct presence in the region. Ohtani's prominence in Major League Baseball gives the brand a way to connect Japanese heritage with a major North American audience.

That symbolism is useful. LANDCROS must become recognizable outside Japan if the rebrand is going to succeed globally.

An ambassador campaign cannot replace product performance or dealer support, but it can accelerate awareness during a period when customers are learning a completely new name.

Branding Heavy Equipment Is Harder Than Branding Consumer Products

Consumer brands can often change packaging or advertising relatively quickly. Heavy equipment is different because machines remain in service for many years.

For the next decade or longer, jobsites will contain a mixture of Hitachi-branded and LANDCROS-branded equipment. Used machines will continue to be sold with the Hitachi name. Parts inventories and manuals will include both identities.

This creates a complicated transition.

The company must ensure that customers understand LANDCROS is the same manufacturer continuing to support Hitachi equipment. Dealer personnel need consistent explanations. Parts systems must connect old and new branding. Digital platforms must maintain machine histories across the transition.

Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas has already published guidance saying dealers will not be widely affected and that LANDCROS support, parts and maintenance information will continue to apply to Hitachi-branded machines.

That reassurance will be central to customer confidence.

The Orange Color Is Staying

One of the strongest continuity signals is the decision to keep orange as the corporate color.

Equipment color matters more in heavy machinery than many people realize. A machine can often be identified from a distance by its color and silhouette. Caterpillar yellow, Deere yellow, Komatsu yellow and Hitachi orange have strong visual associations in the industry.

Changing both the name and the color would have made LANDCROS look like an entirely different manufacturer.

By retaining orange, the company preserves a visible connection with the products customers already know.

The LANDCROS logo was also designed to work with the existing machine color, allowing the brand to feel new without erasing the visual history of the equipment.

What "Solutions Beyond Machinery" Means

LANDCROS is being positioned around the idea of providing value beyond the physical machine.

Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas describes future LANDCROS solutions in areas such as remote-controlled and autonomous machinery, AI-guided maintenance and digital twins.

These are examples of how the equipment business is changing.

A contractor may still buy an excavator primarily to dig, but the machine can also become a source of data. That data can be used to schedule maintenance, monitor production, evaluate operator behavior and coordinate work with other systems.

In mining, digital tools can optimize entire fleets rather than individual machines. Remote operation can reduce exposure to hazardous areas. Autonomous systems can improve consistency in repetitive processes.

LANDCROS is intended to provide a brand umbrella for these technologies.

Parts and Service Are Central to the Strategy

The company's management plan places major emphasis on parts and service. That is important because lifecycle support is becoming one of the most valuable parts of the machinery business.

Manufacturers earn revenue not only when a machine is sold, but throughout its operating life through parts, maintenance, rebuilds, software and support.

Hitachi Construction Machinery has said it wants to move toward more preventative maintenance and integrated service models rather than reacting only after breakdowns.

This shift supports the LANDCROS identity because a solutions provider must stay involved with the customer after the initial sale.

The brand transition therefore has an operational dimension. If customers experience better digital support, stronger parts availability and more proactive service, LANDCROS will become associated with practical value rather than only new decals.

The Risk of Rebranding a Trusted Industrial Name

Changing a respected equipment brand is not without risk.

Customers often form strong loyalty based on years of machine performance and dealer relationships. A new name can create uncertainty, especially among buyers who do not follow corporate news closely.

Some customers may initially wonder whether the machines are produced by a new company, whether parts support will change or whether manufacturing has moved.

That is why Hitachi Construction Machinery is communicating the transition well in advance of April 2027.

The Ohtani campaign is part of that education process, but dealer communication will likely be even more important at the point of sale.

Salespeople and service teams need to explain that the engineering, manufacturing and support network continue while the company adopts a new identity.

What Dealers Need to Prepare For

Dealers will be on the front line of the transition.

Showrooms, signage, websites, uniforms, parts labels, quotations and digital systems will gradually change. Used equipment will still carry the Hitachi name, while new machines will eventually display LANDCROS.

Dealers will need clear procedures for avoiding confusion.

They will also have an opportunity. A rebrand creates a reason to contact customers, host events and explain new technologies.

Rather than treating LANDCROS only as a logo change, dealers can use the transition to introduce customers to connected services, maintenance tools and productivity solutions that support the broader brand strategy.

What Equipment Owners Should Expect

For current Hitachi equipment owners, the most important message is continuity.

The company says manufacturing quality and product support will remain. Dealers will continue serving existing machines, and LANDCROS parts and service systems will support the installed Hitachi fleet.

Owners should expect branding on new parts, documents and digital tools to change gradually.

Resale markets may take time to adjust to the new name, but the mechanical identity of the machines should make the connection clear.

Fleet managers may eventually have both names represented in the same fleet, particularly if they continue purchasing from the brand during the transition.

A Marketing Campaign With Strategic Purpose

Ohtani's ambassador role will attract attention because of his celebrity, but the deeper story is the timing.

Hitachi Construction Machinery has less than a year before the April 2027 launch. During that period, it needs to build recognition for a name that did not previously exist in the global construction-equipment market.

The company also needs to associate that name with positive attributes: innovation, trust, global ambition and customer value.

Ohtani offers a shortcut to awareness.

He cannot explain every detail of the corporate strategy, but he can help make LANDCROS familiar enough that customers recognize the name when they see it on equipment.

What to Watch Before April 2027

The next several months should bring more visible LANDCROS branding at trade shows, dealer events and customer sites.

Customers should also watch for additional product and technology announcements using the LANDCROS name. The company has already begun applying the brand to digital tools and innovation programs.

That gradual expansion matters because the strongest rebrands create consistent experiences across products, services and communication.

If LANDCROS appears only on decals, the strategy will feel cosmetic. If customers see new digital capabilities, stronger support and clearer integrated solutions, the name can gain real meaning.

Why This News Matters

The appointment of Shohei Ohtani is unusual enough to generate headlines, but it sits inside one of the most significant identity changes in the global equipment industry.

Hitachi Construction Machinery is taking a brand known for decades and replacing it with a new name while trying to preserve customer trust.

That is a complex task.

The company's success will depend on product quality, dealer execution and customer support more than advertising. Yet awareness is still necessary, especially during the transition.

By choosing a globally recognized ambassador, the company is signaling that LANDCROS is intended to be more than a regional brand. It is being built as the identity for Hitachi Construction Machinery's next phase of international growth.

For contractors and equipment owners, the practical message is simple: the orange machines will continue, the support network will continue, and the name on the side is preparing to change. The larger question is whether LANDCROS can use that transition to deliver the broader technology and lifecycle solutions promised by the new brand. For fleet managers, the transition is also a reminder to preserve machine records, serial-number histories, parts references and service documentation as branding changes. That administrative continuity will help used-equipment buyers, service departments and dealers understand the relationship between older Hitachi machines and future LANDCROS-branded products throughout the long overlap period.

Sources

• Hitachi Construction Machinery — “Shohei Ohtani Appointed Global Brand Ambassador for LANDCROS,” August 4, 2026.
• Hitachi Construction Machinery — “Shaping the Future with the New LANDCROS Brand,” June 23, 2026.
• Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas — LANDCROS transition information.