Briggs & Stratton

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Briggs & Stratton is the world's largest manufacturer of air-cooled gasoline engines for primarily outdoor power equipment. Current production averages 11 million engines per year.

The company was founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1908 and today is based in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. Briggs and Stratton engines are most commonly used on lawnmowers, as well as pressure washers,electrical generators, and a wide variety of other applications. Their original cast-iron engines were known for their durability but the company's success was established following the development of lightweight aluminum engines in 1953. The aluminum engine was the perfect solution for the recently invented rotary lawnmower due to its lighter weight and lower cost. The company enhanced its reputation in the sixties and seventies by developing a strong service reputation through independent central services distributors (CSDs), low cost replacement parts and well designed service literature.

The company started in 1908 as an informal partnership between Stephen Foster Briggs and Harold M. Stratton. The original intent of the founders was to produce automobiles. In 1922 the company set a record in the automotive industry, selling the lowest-priced car ever, the Briggs & Stratton Flyer (also called the "Red Bug"), at only US$125-US$150.

Eventually the company settled on automotive components and small gasoline engines. Briggs purchased an engine patent from AO Smith Company and began powering early washing machines and refrigerators. The company went public on the New York Stock Exchange in 1928.

During World War II, Briggs and Stratton produced generators for the war effort. Some components in these generators and engines were made with aluminum, which helped the company develop its expertise in using this material. This development, along with the post-war growth of 1950s suburbs (and lawns), helped secure Briggs and Stratton's successful growth in the 1950s and 1960s.

Stephen Briggs went on to purchase Evinrude and Johnson Outboards and start the Outboard Marine Corporation.

Fredrick P. Stratton snr (the son of Harold Stratton) served as Chairman of Briggs & Stratton until his death in 1962. Fredrick P. Stratton jnr served as Chairman until his retirement in 2001.

In 1995, Briggs & Stratton spun out the automotive component business. The resulting company is Strattec Security Corporation.

In 2003, the company acquired its consumer generator business from the Beacon Group and formed Briggs & Stratton Power Products. The Beacon Group had previously purchased the Consumer Products Division of Generac Corporation (now Generac Power Systems) in 1998. In 2005, the company added Simplicity Manufacturing Inc, Snapper, Inc, to the Briggs & Stratton Power Products line. Murray, Inc, one of its largest customers, collapsed owing the company $40M, and to minimize the loss B&S decided to purchase the name, marketing rights & product designs of that company.

Read more at Wikipedia.org