Briggs & Stratton buys Lee’s Summit turf equipment company Billy Goat Industries

Billy Goat Industries, a Lee’s Summit-based manufacturer of specialty turf equipment, on Wednesday was acquired by Briggs & Stratton for about $26 million.

The family-owned business, which has about 100 employees, builds professional-grade mowers, aerators, sod cutters, power rakes and other equipment for turf and property maintenance. Billy Goat has annual net sales of about $30 million.

Billy Goat was founded in 1967 and has operated in Lee’s Summit more than four decades. In late 2014, the company announced plans to move to Lone Jack, which will allow it to consolidate its operations that are now in a series of buildings.

Milwaukee-based Briggs & Stratton is the world’s largest producer of gasoline engines for outdoor power equipment. Its products are sold in more than 100 countries.

“Billy Goat Industries helps us to further our strategic initiative of focusing on higher-margin commercial products,” said Todd Teske, chairman, president and chief executive of Briggs & Stratton.

Will Coates, president and chief executive of Billy Goat, said, “Partnering with Briggs & Stratton gives us the best opportunity to continue with the Billy Goat brand.”

This story was originally published May 20, 2015 at 5:22 PM with the headline "Briggs & Stratton buys Lee’s Summit turf equipment company Billy Goat Industries."