OPEI Reports Strong Commercial Growth for 2004 Model Year

The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute’s (OPEI) estimates for commercial turf care products indicate that during the just-completed 2004 model year (September 2003 to August 2004), shipments expanded by 27 percent. This includes a 7-percent increase for commercial turf walk-behinds, though that number is strongly overshadowed by a 39-percent jump in commercial riding mowers.
 
For the 2004 model year (MY), OPEI estimates that nearly 300,000 commercial turf outdoor power equipment units were shipped. These estimates are derived from a combination of data from the OPEI monthly shipments program and estimates made for all original equipment manufacturers that do not participate in the OPEI shipments program.
 
The most exuberant commercial turf category is zero turn radius technology, which is really boosting sales of riding equipment in both the commercial and consumer markets, according to OPEI’s James McNew.
 
Additionally, over the past 18 months, national fiscal and monetary policies have been very expansive and have supported growth in residential as well as commercial building markets.

McNew says indicators show increased growth over the next two years for the commercial market, as well. “Overall we’ve had a fairly strong year and we’re expecting 2005, especially in the commercial products market, to grow fairly significantly in most areas,” he says. “We’re starting to see walk-behind shipments flatten and expect to see that continue in 2005. And in 2006 we’re expecting a rebound year, according to some of our indicators.”

 The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) is the major international trade association representing the manufacturers and their suppliers of consumer and commercial outdoor power equipment such as lawnmowers, garden tractors, utility vehicles, trimmers, edgers, chain saws, snow throwers, tillers, leaf blowers and other related products.  Founded in 1952, the Institute is dedicated to promoting the outdoor power equipment industry by undertaking activities that can be pursued more effectively by an association than by individual companies.

Source: OPEI.
* Model Year starts in September and runs through August
**OPEI Estimates
r Revised