Arctic Cat

Last updated
Arctic Cat, Inc.
Company type Subsidiary
ISIN US0396701049
Industry Powersports
Founded1960;66 years ago (1960) in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, US
FounderEdgar Hetteen
FateAcquired by Brad Darling and an investment group
Headquarters
Thief River Falls, Minnesota
,
US
Products
RevenueIncrease2.svg US$585.27 million (FY 2012)
Increase2.svg US$45.89 million (FY 2012)
Increase2.svg US$29.94 million (FY 2012)
Total assets Decrease2.svg US$255.42 million (FY 2012)
Total equity Decrease2.svg US$138.47 Million (FY 2012)
Number of employees
1,369 (March 2012)
Website www.arcticcat.com
Footnotes /references
[1]

Arctic Cat is an American brand that makes snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles (ATV's) manufactured in Thief River Falls, Minnesota. The company was formed in 1960. Arctic Cat designs, engineers, manufactures, and markets all-terrain vehicles, snowmobiles.

Contents

History

Arctic Cat was formed by snowmobile pioneer Edgar Hetteen in 1960 [2] after leaving his previous self-started business, Polaris Industries. Arctic Cat grew to become a major manufacturer of snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles. [3] The company's first name was Polar Manufacturing, but it soon changed to Arctic Enterprises. [2] The company made its first snowmobile in 1960.

In 1968, a 15,000-square-foot winter-wear factory was opened in Rainy River, Ontario, employing an additional 60 workers. [4] In 1970, they started the Boss Cat line. [5]

Arctic Cat went bankrupt in 1982 but two years later, a new company, Arctco, it was created to continue the production of Arctic Cat snowmobiles. [2] In 1996, the company changed its name to Arctic Cat. [6]

The brand's headquarters has relocated several times, [7] but Arctic Cat continues most of its manufacturing, along with snowmobile engineering, in Thief River Falls, Minnesota. [8] The company also manufactures engines at a facility in St. Cloud, Minnesota. [9]

On January 25, 2017, it was announced that Textron would acquire Arctic Cat for $247 million in a cash transaction. [10]

In early 2019, the company announced that the Arctic Cat brand would return to its side-by-sides and ATVs beginning with the 2020 model year. [11]

Textron announced in December 2024 that manufacturing operations in Thief River Falls and St. Cloud, Minnesota, would cease in the first half of 2025, releasing all employees. [12]

On April 24, 2025, Arctic Cat announced that it was acquired by former Arctic Cat executive and current Argo President Brad Darling, along with an investment group that owns a significant stake in Argo. [13] The next month, in May of 2025, Arctic Cat announced that it would continue production of snowmobiles in both the Thief River Falls, MN and St. Cloud, MN plants, hiring nearly 500 employees between both sites. [14]

On January 7, 2026, Arctic Cat announced that it had acquired Québec based Widescape, and would be producing its stand-up enduro snowmobiles. [15]

References

  1. ↑ "Arctic Cat, Form 10-K, Annual Report, Filing Date Jun 8, 2012". secdatabase.com. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 "ARCTIC CAT models & brand history". Autoevolution.com. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  3. ↑ "'Godfather' of snowmobile industry". Star Tribune. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  4. ↑ "Happy 100th Rainy River". Rainy River Record. Fort Frances Times. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  5. ↑ "The Boss Cat Legacy". Bosscatlegacy.com. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  6. ↑ "Arctic Cat, Form 10-Q, Quarterly Report, Filing Date Aug 14, 1996". secdatabase.com. Retrieved Jan 13, 2013.
  7. ↑ "Arctic Cat headquarters in North Loop to shutter". Star Tribune. 11 May 2017. Retrieved 2019-02-11.
  8. ↑ "The Boss Cat Legacy". Bosscatlegacy.com. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  9. ↑ "Arctic Cat production comes to St. Cloud from overseas". St. Cloud Times. Retrieved 2019-02-11.
  10. ↑ "Longtime Minnesota snowmobile maker Arctic Cat sold for $247 million". Star Tribune. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
  11. ↑ "passion-power | Textron Off Road". textronoffroad.txtsv.com. Retrieved 2019-02-11.
  12. ↑ King, Teagan. "Arctic Cat to pause operations at St. Cloud facility, Textron confirms". St. Cloud Times. Retrieved 2025-10-07.
  13. ↑ "Argo president, investment group acquires Arctic Cat from Textron". Grand Forks Herald. Retrieved 2025-04-24.
  14. ↑ King, Teagan. "Arctic Cat restores workforce, announces new production in St. Cloud". St. Cloud Times. Retrieved 2025-10-07.
  15. ↑ Staff, The (2026-01-07). "Arctic Cat acquires enduro snowmobile brand Widescape". Powersports Business. Retrieved 2026-01-15.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.