TYM tops tractor category in premium brand index, riding North America earnings surge

Agricultural machinery maker TYM has topped the tractor category in the newly introduced Korean Standard-Premium Brand Index (KS-PBI), adding a brand recognition milestone to a run of improving financial results driven largely by its North American operations.

TYM announced Thursday that it was named the top brand in the tractor segment at the 2026 KS-PBI certification ceremony held at Lotte Hotel in Sogong-dong, Seoul.

The KS-PBI is a brand equity assessment model jointly developed by the Korea Standards Association and Seoul National University's Business Research Institute. The Korea Standards Association and the Chosun Ilbo co-organize the index, with sponsorship from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. This year's survey covered about 120,000 consumers in Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and six major metropolitan cities nationwide.

Brands are evaluated across six categories: awareness, image, benefit, leadership, loyalty and social responsibility. TYM recorded 66.3 points in the tractor segment, which was added to the index this year, and the company said it outperformed competing brands across all six criteria.

TYM has also maintained growth momentum in its recent financial results. On a consolidated basis, the company posted sales of 289.7 billion won ($192 million) and operating profit of 35 billion won in the first quarter. Sales rose 28.3 percent year-on-year, while operating profit surged 131.5 percent. Net profit for the period came in at 30.3 billion won, up 193.2 percent.

In North America, TYM has strengthened its parts supply chain and service capabilities through its Northeast Campus in Pennsylvania and Cedar Town Campus in Georgia. A higher share of sales from mid- to large-horsepower tractors — higher-value products — and the introduction of locally tailored models also contributed to the earnings improvement.

TYM is also accelerating development of next-generation farming technology. The company is working toward launching a Level 4 autonomous driving tractor in 2027, and plans to commercialize an autonomous mower in 2028, drawing on its accumulated autonomous driving technology and physical AI capabilities.

"This award reflects how customer trust in our products and services translates directly into corporate competitiveness," TYM Chief Executive Kim So-won said. "We will continue to grow into the world's most trusted global premium brand, built on smart agricultural technology innovation and sustainable management."