Ariens Sno-Tek Snow Blowers Recalled By LCT and CPS

WASHINGTON, D.C. – February 17 -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Name of Product: Sno-Tek snow blowers

Units: About 1,500 in the U.S. and 300 in Canada

Importer: Liquid Combustion Technology, LLC (LCT), of Travelers Rest, S.C.

Manufacturer: Ariens, of Brillion, Wis.

Hazard: The snow blower's engine is missing a safety shield above the side mounted electric starter, posing a laceration hazard to consumer's fingers.

Injuries/Incidents: None reported.

Description: The recalled snow blowers have a LCT StormForce engine with "Sno-Tek" printed across a metal handlebar plate. Snow blowers with model numbers 920402 and 920403 and UPC codes 5105803094 and 5105803095 are included in this recall. Only snow blowers with engine model number PW1HK18650781DE-ABGOQUVE1M with serial numbers ranging from 1065H04008325A through 1065H04012104A are affected by this recall. The product model number and UPC codes are printed on a label attached to the outside of the gear box near the left wheel.

Sold at: Home Depot and Ariens authorized dealers nationwide and HD.com in Canada from August 2010 through September 2010 for between about $700 and $800.

Manufactured in: Snow blower in United States, engine in China

Remedy: Consumers should stop using these snow blowers and contact LCT for a free repair kit and installation instructions or return them to an authorized LCT service center location for a free repair. LCT's Service Network toll free number is (800) 558-5402

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact LCT at (800) 552-8094 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm's website at www.LCTUSA.com

Certified Parts Corp Signs Agreement with LCT for Manufacture of Air-Cooled Engines

Plans to Introduce Snow King and Complete Engine Lineup

Janesville, WI (September 1, 2010) – Certified Parts Corporation (CPC) of Janesville, WI has announced it has entered into an agreement with LCT, (Liquid Combustion Technology) of Travelers Rest, SC to jointly manufacture air-cooled engines for the outdoor power equipment market.

The agreement announced today will provide CPC with engineering, manufacturing, and sales capabilities allowing it to reintroduce the Snow King line of snow thrower engines and other engines formally manufactured and sold by TecumsehPower.

The engines will be exclusively represented by LCT, and sold under the Snow King, Lauson and LCT brands and serviced exclusively by CPC and the existing TecumsehPower dealer/distributor network. Traditionally, the Snow King line of engines has powered more snow throwers than all other brands combined. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

LCT’s current horizontal 4-stroke gasoline engine product offering will be extended with this agreement and will also allow CPC and LCT to provide single cylinder and V-twin vertical engines to outdoor power equipment manufacturers.

LCT only manufactures utility engines with sales and distribution operations throughout the USA, Canada, China and Europe. Additional information on LCT can be found at their website: www.LCTUSA.com.

Certified Parts Corporation purchased certain assets of TecumsehPower Company in 2009, and provides production engines and parts for TecumsehPower (Lauson) engines. In 2010, CPC purchased the assets of Hoffco/Comet and has restarted production in their Wisconsin facilities. CPC is also a large supplier of vintage parts for the recreational vehicle industry. More information regarding CPC can be found at www.CertifiedPartsCorp.com