The company that tried to bring robotic mowing technology to the golf industry soon will be owned outright by one of the country's largest manufacturers of consumer power and hand tools.
After acquiring 20 percent in MTD in 2019, Stanley Black & Decker will acquire the remaining 80 percent of the company that owns turf maintenance brands such as Cub Cadet. The deal, which is contingent upon regulatory review, is for a reported $1.6 billion in cash and is expected to close before the end of the year.
Cub Cadet, which makes the Infinicut line of reel mowers popular in sports turf management, once manufactured the RGX robotic greens mower, a project that was abandoned last year. Originally named the RG3, the robotic mower was launched in 2009 by Precision Path Robotics. Cub Cadet bought the technology in 2015 before throwing in the towel early in 2020.
Besides the Infinicut line of reel mowers and pull-behind blowers for the professional turf market, MTD designs, manufactures and distributes lawn tractors, zero-turn mowers, walk-behind mowers, snow blowers, residential robotic mowers, handheld outdoor power equipment and garden tools for residential and professional consumers. Other consumer brands under the MTD umbrella are Troy-Bilt, Rover, Wolf Garten and Robomow.
The RG3 debuted at the 2009 Golf Industry Show in New Orleans, and reappeared six years later in San Antonio under the Cub Cadet brand.
