Komatsu America Corp., a global heavy equipment manufacturer, announced plans to partner with the Chicago Blackhawks for the 2018-2019 season.

“Earlier in the year, Komatsu announced plans to move into the city of Chicago in 2020. As part of a broader goal to invest more in local communities where we live and do business, we thought this would be an impactful way to increase our brand awareness, while supporting a storied, hometown sports franchise,” said Rich Smith, VP, product and services, Komatsu America.

The Komatsu logo will appear prominently on the ice for all regular season home games. As the first agreement with any of Chicago's pro sports franchises, the presence will raise the company's local profile and expose the brand to a more mainstream, national and international TV audience.

With local distributors in several North American markets with NHL teams (Boston, New York, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Winnepeg, Phoenix, Las Vegas, etc.) the hospitality component allows Komatsu sales teams to continue deepening customer relationships during slower, winter months and find distributor cross-collaboration opportunities at home and away games, according to the manufacturer.

For more information, visit www.komatsuamerica.com.