How Bunton Mowers Became an Elite Name in Lawn Care
In the world of lawn mowers, Bunton Mowers have established a reputation for being the best commercial-grade mowers on the market, and this came about as a result of a lot of hard work and dedication on the part of the business owner, Larry O’Connell. In 1996, O’Connell sold his business to Jacobsen Textron, Inc., and Textron has done everything possible to maintain the powerful brand reputation originally achieved by the owner/developer.
In terms of the strength and sturdiness of their commercial mowers, Bunton Mowers had no peers in the industry, and Textron has endeavored to maintain that reputation by adding a speedier and more powerful engine to the framework. In this article, we’ll discuss the history of Bunton Mowers, to provide a sketch of just how a small business soared to the top of the heap with a superior lawn mowing product. We’ll also describe several of the mowers offered by the company in its original product line, and what they’re capable of.
A Brief Look at the Impressive History of Bunton Mowers
The origin of Bunton Mowers can be traced back all the way to 1948, when the Bunton Distributing Company began marketing Goodall rotary mowers under the leadership of W. Prince Bunton, Sr. Within four years, Bunton turned the company into a successful lawn mower company, but the actual Bunton Mower had not yet been developed.
According to Inside the Yard, the trigger for that success story actually came when the fledgling company was asked to develop a power trimmer. Bunton enlisted the aid of his two sons, W.P. and Herb, and successfully designed and marketed the ordered power trimmer. Then what really got the ball rolling was a 1954 order for a maneuverable lawn mower that could be super versatile in mowing large areas.
That’s when the company took on the Bunton Mowers name, because the success of this maneuverable mower was so strong that it enabled Bunton to setup his new business and begin a higher volume of production. During the years between 1954 and 1969, Bunton Mowers elevated itself into one of the premier lawn mowing companies in the country, and earned a reputation for maneuverability, power, and durability.
In 1969, Bunton Mowers bought out rival Goodall Mowers, which is the company Bunton originally distributed mowers and parts for when it was first formed. That constituted another big boost to Bunton and pushed them squarely into the limelight of their industry. In 1991, Larry O’Connell bought the Bunton Mowers franchise, and served as owner/CEO right up until 1996, when he sold his company to Jacobsen Textron, Inc.
The Current Product Line of Bunton Mowers
Of course, the Bunton Mowers company no longer exists, except as a shining example of what can be achieved with superior product design and some hard work and dedication on the part of the owners. However, the main product lines originally established by Bunton Mowers are still on the market, under other company names. After Bunton Mowers was purchased by Jacobsen Textron, the very popular ‘walk-behind’ mowers were continued in their original product line offerings of 12”, 18”, and 21” mowing decks.
Unfortunately, Jacobsen also owned the Bobcat brand name for lawn mowers, and Bobcat was fairly similar to the Bunton Mowers, in terms of its capabilities and popularity. Jacobsen made a business decision to emphasize the Bobcat line of mowers and began investing less and less in the Bunton line of products. As a result, the Bobcat line began to prosper more, while the Bunton line began to recede into the background.
Eventually, Jacobsen Textron sold out its interest in both Bobcat and Bunton to Schiller Grounds, which is a company that already owned the well-known Mantis Tillers line of products. Schiller decided to continue with the Bobcat line, and discontinued the Bunton line of mowers altogether, thus ending the further production of Bunton walk-behind mowers.
The other primary product line established by Bunton Mowers, which was the Zero Turn Mower, has had a somewhat different fate. Zero Turn mowers are those which were developed in order to mow large lawns or fields, where very tight turns are sometimes necessary. This type of lawn mower is still the very best option for tackling these kinds of mowing projects.
When Bunton Mowers was taken over by Jacobsen Textron, the Zero Turn line of mowers was blended in with the Bobcat line and marketed under the Bobcat brand name. Then, Jacobsen sold its entire operation to Schiller Grounds Care and Schiller continued to sell the Bobcat Zero Turn mower (actually the Bunton Zero Turn Mower), and Schiller continues to market this still useful mower for large lawn-mowing tasks.
While the Bunton Mowers product has undergone several name changes and a few design changes over the years, they continue to provide the same kind of durability and performance that they originally did back in the 1950s when they were first offered to the world. While you won’t see the Bunton name attached to them in any gardening store, the original green and gold body paint is still sometimes sold, reminding us all of the Bunton Mower legacy.
How Bunton Mowers became the elite in lawn-mowing equipment
So, what was it exactly that allowed Bunton Mowers to rise to the top of the lawn-mowing world, and stay there unchallenged for 48 long years? As stated by Inside the Yard, “Bunton emerged to fame as a Louisville-based lawn mowing machine manufacturer. Gradually, it ruled over the mowing equipment sector for 48 years before being sold to Jacobsen Textron in 1996.”
It all started with a really great design, both for the walk-behind models and the zero turn models. Both of these products satisfied a need in lawn care that could not be handled any better by any product on the market.
But the design wasn’t the only crucial factor in the rise to prominence of Bunton Mowers. Bunton quickly established a reputation for unfailing reliability and durability. Both these factors are extremely critical in lawn-mowing, because no one wants to be interrupted by frequent breakdowns and equipment failures.
Another major factor in the rise to popularity was the innovative development behind the zero turn mower. This was the first mower of its kind that had the capability of making really tight turns in limited-space areas, while still operating exceptionally well in long stretches of open area. For quite a few years, it was the only product of its kind that had this kind of capability. Then, by the time other companies caught up and marketed similar products, the Bunton Mowers machine had already captured a big chunk of the market share.
Now, sadly, the Bunton Mowers brand name has all but disappeared from lawn and gardening stores around the country. However, it is still possible to see some of the original machines still in the shops of a few dealers in the U.S., and you can still buy replacement parts for those original machines in some places.
As you might expect, the tremendous reliability of Bunton Mowers has allowed some people who purchased a mower under that original brand name to keep using their mowers even up to the present time. The reputation for reliability and long service continues even though the Bunton Mowers brand name itself has long since been discontinued.
Frequently asked questions:
Q: Is the Bunton Mowers Company still operating in any capacity?
A: No, the Bunton Mowers brand name has long since ceased operations. However, the original Bunton Mowers product line, especially the Zero Turn mowers, are still being marketed and sold under the Schiller Grounds Care brand name. You can still purchase replacement parts for both the walk-behind Bunton mowers and the Zero Turn Bunton mowers in many lawn and garden shops.
Q: Who owns the Bunton Mowers product line now?
A: The Bunton Mowers line was originally purchased by Jacobsen Textron, Inc. and Jacobsen later sold the entire line to Schiller Grounds. You can now purchase the mower originally developed as a Bunton Mower under the Schiller brand name, since almost all of the original powerful capabilities are included in the current line. The great reputation for durability, reliability, and high performance can still be enjoyed under the new company name.
Q: Is the Bunton Mowers product line available anywhere?
A: No, not under the name of Bunton Mowers. Schiller Grounds Care is headquartered in Pennsylvania, and its featured product lines come under the brand names of Classen, Little Wonder, and Mantis. The Bunton brand name has been entirely lost since Schiller emerged in 2009 as a major player in lawn mowing equipment, but you can still experience the Bunton Mowers experience by using their zero turn mowers.
You can also read:
