Lawn-Boy
In 1934, the original Lawn-Boy lawn mower was manufactured by the Evinrude Company, becoming the first one-handed reel power mower introduced to the American public. Evinrude purchased Johnson Motor Wheel Company from a New York stock brokerage firm a year later, and in 1936 they merged with the Outboard Marine and Manufacturing Company (OMC), continuing production of Lawn-Boy mowers until 1939, when it was temporarily put on hold to manufacture outboard motors for World War II.
In 1946, Joel G. (Jack) Doyle built the first rotary lawnmower for the Rotary Power Mower Company of Lamar, Missouri. Doyle accumulated orders for these mowers from Sears Roebuck, Gimbels, Spiegel, and other businesses. OMC then bought RPM in 1952, and changed the brand of the rotary lawn mower to the Lawn-Boy name.
In the 1950s, RPM facilities were converted to production line manufacturing to meet the high number of orders from bigger retailers such as Sears Roebuck and Spiegel.. Also, newer, quieter engines were introduced to reduce sound.
In 1963 Lawn-Boy HQ and factory was moved from the Lamar, Mo. factory to the Gale Products Facility's (another part of OMC) site in Galesburg, IL.
The next couple of decades included a long period of research and development as the company continued to expand, including overseas. Riding mowers, tillers, and snow blowers were introduced, as well as a new 2-stroke engine in 1970 that produced more power, with less weight and fewer parts. During this time the D-400 engine became popular.
In 1983 Two factories were open in Mississippi and Tennessee. Marketing and Engineering was moved to the Memphis, Tennessee facility.
In 1988, Lawn-Boy acquired Gilson Brothers Co., a Wisconsin-based manufacturer of outdoor power equipment and recreational equipment.
In 1989, with a dire need for cash, OMC sold Lawn-Boy to the Toro Company, and eventually consolidated to the Toro headquarters in Bloomington, Minnesota. Since the acquisition by Toro, Lawn-Boy has introduced several new series of lawn mowers, including a new lineup of walk-behind mowers and an entirely new category of Zero Radius Turning mowers. Due to engine emissions regulations - Lawn-Boy had been forced to stop using their eponymous 2-stroke engine that was favored for its light weight and simple operation.