The Toro Company History

For just over a century, the Toro Company has been a leader in the manufacture of some of the best farm and construction equipment on the market. From their early beginnings as a motor builder to their current diversification into several different product markets, Toro has made themselves a household name with a dedicated customer base. Their rich history illustrates the company’s commitment to producing high-performance equipment that is practical, versatile and labor-saving for private homeowners and professionals alike.

FMI Equipment is your local Toro dealership, located in Spokane Valley, WA. We’ve drawn up this brief history of the Toro Company to give you an idea of all that the Toro Company offers in terms of efficiency and power. 

Come by our dealership to chat with us about which piece of Toro equipment will best suit your needs, whether it’s for the farm, the house or your business.

The Founder

Toro’s first president was John Samuel Clapper, who was one of the company’s co-founders. Clapper held the presidency for 29 years, through both World Wars as well as the Great Depression, and was able to grow his company and expand the number of products that Toro produced despite the setbacks experienced around the country at this time.

Early 1900s

Toro Motor Company was established in July of 1914 to build engines for the Bull Tractor Company located in Minneapolis. The Spanish word for “bull” was used as the company name because of the company’s close association with Bull Tractor.

When Bull’s fortunes floundered in 1916, Toro paid their debts and took on their inventory, selling the rights to some investors. Toro began producing steam steering winches for merchant marine ships during the first World War, keeping themselves in business.

While Bull ultimately collapsed in 1918, Toro soldiered on and rebranded as the Toro Manufacturing company following the introduction of their first branded product, the TO-RO utility tractor in 1919. This tractor saved labor for farmers and revolutionized the industry.

In 1922, Toro signed its first distributor agreement, allowing the company to further their success by increasing their market exposure. The first Toro greens mower came about a few years later, and they went international in 1928. They continued to build better greens mowers and started the manufacture of lightweight tractors with higher speeds for use on golf courses and other large expanses.

The Toro Manufacturing Company became the Toro Manufacturing Corporation of Minnesota in 1935, representing their rapid growth and expansion over the previous twenty years. To assist in the war effort, Toro transferred their manufacturing capabilities to wartime operations. The company built tank parts, cannons and anti-aircraft gun parts for the duration of World War II.

After the war, in 1948, Toro acquired Whirlwind, the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, manufacturer of rotary lawn mowers, then designed an enclosed rotary mower deck that was much safer than before, which increased customer acceptance of this new type of mower.

1950 To 2000

In 1950, following their acquisition of Whirlwind and their sale of 15,000 Whirlwind mowers, the Toro Company’s profits hit $6 million. David Lilly became the company’s fourth president this same year, heading the company as it moved into the field of snowthrowers and added another manufacturing plant in Windom, Minnesota.

Toro also became the first lawn and garden company to advertise on television in 1956, with ads promoting their new Power-Handle, a portable motor that could power a number of yard implement attachments.

Their continual success and expansion led Toro to join up with the Super Bowl in 1966, with Toro equipment being used to prepare the field for the very first game in January 1967. Toro continues this practice to the present day. With the introductions of the first electric-start lawn mower and two-stage snowthrower made expressly for consumers rather than companies, Toro proved their ability to innovate and respond to customer needs.

1971 saw another name change to its current moniker, The Toro Company. By the end of the decade, Toro was trading stock on the New York Stock Exchange. They launched their extremely successful consumer walk power mower in 1982. The mower was advertised as “Guaranteed To Start,” replacing less-reliable models already on the market.

The Toro Company’s acquisition of Lawn-Boy in 1989 allowed them to end their rivalry and reduce competition in the field of lawn equipment. Throughout the 1990s, Toro introduced the Recycler®, a mulching mower that removed the need for users to bag their own grass clippings, along with the Irritrol® brand.

Toro became the Walt Disney World Resort’s official turf maintenance equipment provider in 1998, doing the same for the European PGA Tour the next year. They ended the century on a high note by introducing their Toro Personal Pace self-propel drive system to allow mowers to go at their own pace while mowing. Both consumers and retailers hail the new system as revolutionary in the field.

2000 & Onward

Toro launched the Dingo TX compact utility loader in 2000 which shifted the way that landscape contractors worked, making their jobs much easier and faster. The company added to their roster of establishments and events for which they are the official supplier by partnering with the Rose Bowl, the University of Notre Dame, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the National Golf Course Owners Association, the State of New York, Target Field and the Talladega Superspeedway, among many others. For each of these, Toro provides turf maintenance or irrigation equipment, increasing their exposure and cementing their legacy as a reliable, world-class equipment manufacturer.

The Toro Company has spent over 100 years cementing their place as a leader in the turf, irrigation, snow-removal and farm equipment industries, making them a reliable choice when you have tough work that needs doing. Drop on by our Spokane Valley, WA, dealership today to see our full inventory of Toro equipment for sale. Our staff will be happy to help you find the right machines for your work, whether it’s residential or professional in nature. FMI Equipment proudly serves the cities of Spokane, WA, and Coeur d’Alene, ID.