In Bloomington, Minnesota, the most exclusive golf course in town has never booked a tee time. It’s only one hole, and it’s open to only the best. Never mind the July heat; today, a mass of spectators have gathered to watch the masters at work. But this isn’t the PGA tour; there’s no golfer on the fairway. These people are watching mowers—driverless, autonomous mowers—manicure the grass with the utmost precision. This is The Toro Company, and these machines represent the technological excellence the iconic company is known for.
There’s a reason that The Toro Company is a household name: there are very few brands that have managed to build an enduring reputation of excellence the way they have. In the world of landscaping, groundskeeping, and beyond, the company’s equipment is what the professionals rely on and a mark of the highest quality for consumers. And the brand has the legacy to prove it.
As the AEM Manufacturing Express joined The Toro Company at its Bloomington, Minnesota headquarters, there were plenty of reasons to celebrate: July 10th marked the company’s 110th anniversary. To celebrate its birthday: food, drink, and giveaways for the hundreds of employees in attendance. Two occasions, all in one day, to honor a century of The Toro Company’s enduring impact on the Minnesota community and beyond.
Founded in 1914 in Minneapolis as a tractor engine manufacturer, The Toro Company shifted its focus to the golf industry in 1919 amidst a lean time in the agricultural sector. A century later, the company is a manufacturing powerhouse in Minnesota and beyond, employing thousands of men and women across North America exporting products to 125 countries across the globe.
The company’s portfolio has grown far beyond the golf sector as well. Lining the perfectly trimmed fairway were Dingos, Ultra Buggies, and Boss Snow Blowers: construction and agriculture pieces for myriad applications and conditions. Yet, according to CEO Rick Olson, The Toro Company’s varied equipment offerings have more in common than you may think. “Our company’s purpose,” Olson says, ”is to help our customers enrich the beauty, productivity and sustainability of the land”.
And while their products in the construction, groundskeeping, irrigation, and landscaping sectors may all be impressive, the best thing The Toro Company is responsible for is the communities they have cultivated across the Midwest. 90% of the company’s manufacturing is done in North America. With factories in Windom and Shakopee, Minnesota, Tomo, Wisconsin and elsewhere, The Toro Company is a staple of many of these small towns across the region.
Bloomington Mayor Tim Busse agrees. ”There is work that goes into creating a community where people want to be,” Busse says, “Companies like Toro are a part of that cultivation”.
To be clear: the mayor doesn’t play favorites with the companies in his city. But, Mayor Busse makes a special exception for The Toro Company: “I can’t pick favorites. But when I wake up in the morning after it snows and I look at my Toro snowblower, at that moment Toro is my favorite company.”
