Toro 2014 Annual Report Download - page 4

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Favorable summer growing conditions and our oering
of innovative new products provided additional
momentum for the category. The professional grounds
business expanded with improved state and local
government budgets and demand for our productivity-
enhancing oerings. Our rental and specialty
construction businesses grew as we attracted new
channel partners and end-user customers with our
broader portfolio of products. Rounding out our
professional businesses, increased demand for more
ecient irrigation solutions for agriculture and higher
food production needs drove sales growth in our
micro-irrigation business in fiscal 2014 and will drive
market expansion in the future.
We got o to a very strong start in our residential
business, as last winter’s heavy snowfalls drove strong
retail activity that cleared snow blower inventory early in
fiscal 2014 and set the stage for a robust preseason this
fall. When the 2014 spring season arrived, we saw
increased demand for our enhanced zero-turn riding
mowers, as more consumers transition to that riding
platform from traditional lawn tractors, and fall clean-up
activity helped to drive sales of our electric blowers. We
believe that we are well-poised for fiscal 2015 with a
strong line-up of new products and expanded product
placement with key retailers.
Investments in innovation
Innovation, one of the linchpins of our success in our first
century, helped us build momentum across our
businesses again in fiscal 2014 and has us encouraged
as we look ahead to 2015.
For example, we introduced the Sand Pro® 2040Z, a
zero-turn mechanical bunker rake that is setting a new
productivity standard in golf bunker maintenance with
unmatched maneuverability and productivity.
Our innovative new golf irrigation products are
generating strong reviews; in particular, our INFINITY®
Series sprinkler with SMART ACCESS® allows quick and
easy access to internal components without digging to
provide significant labor savings and is designed for
future upgrades as new technologies become available.
In November, we launched an important new
micro-irrigation product for the agricultural market,
Aqua-Traxx® FC (Flow Control) with the PBX Advantage.
This is the first product in the industry that provides
enhanced flexibility and control by increasing or
decreasing flow while maintaining uniform output
across changing elevations.
Looking ahead to the spring of 2015, our landscape
contractor customers will be deploying the latest in
our industry-leading line of propane-powered EFI
equipment—a 52-inch stand-on mower. In addition,
our new stand-on spreader sprayers feature a unique
“Lean to Steer” technology that allows operators to
control steering with one hand so they can adjust
application settings during operation for enhanced
precision and productivity.
Our next generation of residential zero-turn mowers
includes our TimeCutter® SW Series zero-turn tractor
that is equipped with a steering wheel. Now homeowners
can enjoy the maneuverability and time-savings of
zero-turn technology in their choice of steering controls.