The Grasshopper Company, Moundridge

Address: 105 Old U.S. Hwy. 81 Moundridge, KS 67107 [map this location]
Website: www.grasshoppermower.com

Aerial view of The Grasshopper Company located in Moundridge. Photo courtesy The Grasshopper Company.

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"Three generations of family ownership are poised to celebrate The Grasshopper Company's 40th Anniversary in 2009, where a history of industry "firsts" lays a foundation for continuous innovation." Photo courtesy The Grasshopper Company.

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Production of a future Grasshopper Mower. Photo courtesy The Grasshopper Company.

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Grasshopper Powervac model. Photo courtesy The Grasshopper Company.

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Grasshopper Company semi-trucks used to deliver the mowers to the retail market across the country. Photo courtesy The Grasshopper Company.

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A mascot, GMOW, livens up activities and events to help promote the Grasshopper Company. Photo courtesy The Grasshopper Company.

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Contact: Ray Garvey
620.345.8621

Perhaps the real wonder of The Grasshopper Company is how many designs have been created from within its walls that have shaped the lawn mower industry worldwide. 

Grasshopper introduced many zero-turn mower industry "firsts", including the first dual swing-away control levers (1973), the first liquid-cooled diesel engine in a zero-turn radius mower (1984), and a mower deck that raises upright with the flip of a switch (2004).

Find more industry firsts at:  http://www.grasshoppermower.com/about_timeline.php)

Grasshopper is a 40--year old family-owned business now in its third generation of management.  Tucked away along the southern edge of McPherson County, the company's inconspicuous exterior modestly houses a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility that incorporates robots and computer-controlled processes which efficiently  - and with minimal environmental impact  -  produce the most distinctive zero-turn mower in the world.  

Over 300 employees proudly build commercial mowers and grounds maintenance equipment for customers.  The company's products are distributed in 40 foreign countries as well.

The Grasshopper Company won the World Trade Council of Wichita's Export Achievement Award in 2007 and in 2008 won the Wichita Business Journal's Best in Business Award. 

Grasshopper mowers have mowed some famous grounds around the world, including Parc Monceau in central Paris; the Leaning Tower of Pisa (Italy), areas of Red Square in Moscow; and in the USA, Grasshopper mowers have even cleared snow at The White House.  In Kansas, the Governor's Mansion lawn is mowed with Grasshopper mowers. 

From inspirational windswept prairies and wheat fields, founder and inventor Elbert Guyer drew several new product ideas from his custom harvesting operation. One new product inspired another throughout the 1950's and 60's until a team of employees with manufacturing experience and mechanical know-how took the task of developing the first commercially viable zero-turn mower.  Having lived through the Dust Bowl days in central Kansas, Guyer and others associated with the new mower were quite familiar with a certain insect that could devour large areas of vegetation quickly, and noticing the two steering levers of this new mower resembled antennae, it was aptly named the Grasshopper.

MAKE RESERVATIONS FOR A TOUR

Please make reservations by calling 620.345.8621.  Available time for tours is during the week between 8:30 and 2 p.m.