Ariens Company To Acquire OPE Distributor Sovde of Rygge, Norway

BRILLION, WI – November 18 -- Ariens Co. said Wednesday it reached an agreement to acquire Norwegian power equipment distributor Sovde of Rygge, Norway.

Terms of the deal were not announced.

Sovde will continue to operate as a distributor between Ariens and independent power equipment dealers in Norway, the company said.

"While it is not part of our long-term strategy to acquire distributorships, the decision was based on a 40-year relationship with the Sovde family who grew the Ariens Sno-Thro brand to become the largest-selling snow thrower brand in Norway," said Dan Ariens, president and CEO.

Ariens also recently acquired British tractor company Countax.

Ariens Co., headquartered in Brillion, is a manufacturer of outdoor power equipment for consumer and professional use.

OPEESA Member Power Equipment Systems Forges New West Coast Partnership with MTD

Salem, OR -- September 28 -- Power Equipment Systems (PES), a wholesale distributor of lawn and garden power equipment, today announced a partnership with outdoor power equipment manufacturer MTD that will make PES the primary West Coast source for MTD’s Cub Cadet and Troy-Bilt equipment brands.

Effective October 1st, the partnership will allow PES to sell Cub Cadet and Troy-Bilt equipment as a commissioned distributor to power equipment dealers in Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

This new business model will enable MTD to consolidate how they go to market in the western regions and will provide dealers with the opportunity to take advantage of factory-direct pricing, national sales programs and marketing support combined with the exceptional service and support of an award-winning regional distributor with PES.

“PES has been a strong partner for us in the West for many years,” said Gary Lobaza, executive vice president, Specialty Retail Group at MTD Products. “They are consistent in providing a high level of service and support for our dealer community. At Cub Cadet we are excited to take this relationship to the next level and build a better solution with PES for our dealers.”

PES, which also offers parts and equipment from a number of other manufacturers, has built a solid reputation in the lawn and garden industry for more than 30 years. For the past three years, PES has been recognized as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For by Oregon Business magazine. The new partnership with MTD will allow PES to expand both internal and external resources to meet increased demand as they continue to grow their dealer network across the West.