CLEVELAND – MTD Products announced June 22 the acquisition of a manufacturer of commercial and consumer hand-held products in a move that should strengthen MTD’s position in both markets. The acquisition of Ryobi North America Outdoor Products brings MTD more than 20 new string trimmers, blowers and hedge trimmers to add to its hand-held power equipment product line, but a key benefit in the deal may have been Ryobi’s four-cycle engine technology.
MTD representatives declined to comment for this story, but the company has worked to increase its presence in the professional market in recent years with the development of its MTD Pro line of equipment and its manufacturing partnership with LESCO. As the industry continues moving toward deadlines for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and California Air Resources Board engine emission regulations, Ryobi’s four-cycle technology could become particularly valuable. While many manufacturers of hand-held equipment are critical of four-cycle technology, testing of four-cycle engines seems to validate claims that these engines yield fewer pollutants than their two-cycle counterparts.
The MTD brand portfolio includes MTD Pro – which is targeted to the commercial industry – and the consumer-based Yard Machines, Yard-Man, White Outdoor and Cub Cadet. Products under these brand names include walk-behind mowers, tractors, snow throwers, tillers, edgers/trimmers, chipper/shredders/vacuums and log splitters.
"We’re excited about this new opportunity to increase our global reach in the outdoor power equipment industry," said Bill Docherty, executive vice president for sales and marketing for MTD, in a press release. "Ryobi shares our philosophy of quality, service, innovation and versatility for the consumer."
"The combination of two leaders in the outdoor power equipment category will help us to better serve our customers and accelerate growth," said Singh Suchdev, president of MTD’s Ryobi Outdoor Products division, in a press release. "We expect to be a strong contributor to MTD’s growth and profitability."
The acquisition gives MTD the Ryobi brand name for outdoor products sold in North, Central and South America. The agreement does not affect Ryobi’s power tools and die-cast components business.
