Billy Goat Industries will remain in Lee’s Summit

Billy Goat Industries has dropped plans to move from Lee’s Summit to a new plant in Lone Jack, the president of the lawn care equipment company said Thursday.

“We’re staying put,” said Will Coates, who owns the 48-year-old company with his brother Drew Coates, who is the product manager.

Will Coates clarified the company’s previous expansion plans one day after the family-owned business was acquired by Milwaukee-based Briggs & Stratton for about $26 million.

In late 2014, Billy Goat said it would move to Lone Jack, which would have allowed it to consolidate its operations and about 100 employees in one facility. Billy Goat’s manufacturing facility is currently about a mile away from its main office and warehouse, Coates said.

But the sale to Briggs & Stratton, with its considerable financial resources, changed everything, Coates said.

The focus now is on “assessing the future manufacturing needs of the company,” Coates said. “We want to grow the job base here.”

Coates said Billy Goat will maintain its name and operate as a subsidiary of Briggs & Stratton, which is the world’s largest producer of gasoline engines for outdoor power equipment. Coates, his brother and their management team will continue to run the company.

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

This story was originally published May 21, 2015 at 1:50 PM with the headline "Billy Goat Industries will remain in Lee’s Summit."