Ariens acquires Parker
Ariens Company announced Oct. 19 that it has acquired the assets of debris-maintenance equipment manufacturer, Parker Company, Inc., of Phoenix, Ariz. Ariens will continue to sell Parker products through two-step distribution channels in the outdoor power equipment market. The products will also be made available as brands sold directly to the independent dealer channel for the fall 2010 cleanup season.
“Parker is an established name in the debris-maintenance segment,” said Dan Ariens, president of Ariens Company. “The addition of the Parker lawn sweepers and debris-handling equipment will help extend the lawn and garden season for our equipment dealers with fall cleanup products. It will also serve our growing sports turf maintenance segment.”
Ariens will produce the Parker products at its manufacturing facility in Auburn, Neb. The Parker line of products, which serves both the consumer and commercial markets, includes Vac-35 Litter Vacuums, all-purpose vacuums, ground pack blowers, turf sweepers and lawn sweepers, portable truck loaders, Hurricane Plus blowers and Thatch-O-Matic power rakes.
The company expects to make parts available to distributors in 30 to 60 days. Wholegoods availability is expected by December 2009.
Established in 1933 in Brillion, Wis., Ariens Company manufactures outdoor power equipment for both consumer and commercial use. The company’s premium brands include Ariens Sno-Thro and Ariens zero-turn mowers for consumers, Gravely, EverRide and Great Dane commercial lawn equipment for professional landscape contractors, as well as Gravely Turf products, National specialty mowers and Locke reel mowers for the sports field sector. Ariens’ affiliates, Stens Corporation and its Australian counterpart, Bynorm Group, supply replacement parts to the outdoor power equipment industry. Visit www.ariens.com for more information.