Breaking News: Oct. 1997, Toro and Deere News

After nearly a year of discussions, The Toro Co., has entered into a strategic partnership to manufacture Dingo Digging Systems’ green industry products. Dingo Digging Systems is the importer of the hydraulically powered multi-purpose tool which has been one of the industry’s most exciting and popular new product innovations of late.

The deal represents another piece in Toro’s master plan of becoming the premier full-service provider to the profes-sional landscape industry by providing the company with a unique product unlike any other on the market. The Dingo 220, as the machine will be known, represents the first part of Toro’s new SiteWork Systems product line.

The acquisition offers Toro immediate and growing market share in the skid-steer product category, a market it previously had no product in. Toro was reportedly developing its own competitive product, but was still at least one year away from bringing it to the market.

Observers will note imme-diate minor changes in the product, such as a change in color from green to Toro’s standard red, and slight altera-tions in the design.

Roger Braswell, Dingo president, reportedly fielded numerous inquiries over the past year from manufacturers interested in building the Dingo machine for the company. Limited production capabilities and product avail-ability have been perhaps the company’s biggest sales obstacle to overcome thus far. The Toro deal, however, brings production to Toro’s Tomah, Wisc., facility from Australia, where the majority of machines have been built. The deal also considerably expands Dingo’s sales and distribution channels.

Dingo personnel will continue to provide sales and marketing support for the product. – Bob West

Deere Mowers Launch Green Industry Push

LOUISVILLE – Because of John Deere & Co.’s deep pockets, competitive manufacturers have been keeping an eye on the Moline, Ill.-based company to see if its long-rumored aggressive approach to the commercial landscape market would become a reality.

Deere provided the first answers to this question at the most extensive new product introduction in the company’s 160-year history, held in Louisville, Sept. 9-10 and attended by Lawn & Landscape.

The introduction featured more than 20 new Deere prod-ucts, including seven targeted for commercial use (see sidebar) which will be counted on to help boost corporate revenues towards the goal of $3 billion by Oct. 31, 2000.

"Some people talk about commitment and growth, but we put our money where our mouth is," noted Mark Rotsvold, senior vice president of the Worldwide Commercial & Consumer Equipment Division, adding that Deere committed about $185 million to research and development capabilities in 1997 alone.

"We believe the commercial mowing and landscape market is going to continue to grow well into the next century," added Dave Larson, manager of market development, commercial products group.

When asked about goals for the next five years, Larson voiced Deere’s commitment to grow. "In five years, Deere expects to have a preeminent position with a much broader offering of products, continued customer satisfaction, the highest levels of customer support, and expanded market share in all segments of sales to the commercial mowing and professional landscape markets." – Bob West