THIEF RIVER FALLS, Minn. (KFGO) – A former Arctic Cat executive and an investment group have purchased Arctic Cat in Thief River Falls.
Brad Darling is the new CEO and President of the company, which manufactures snowmobiles, ATVs and side-by-sides. Darling was with Arctic Cat for 17 years. He left the company in 2016 when he assumed the role of CEO and President of Argo. Argo is considered the worldwide leader for amphibious Xtreme Terrain Vehicles.
“It brings back that connection to the company” said Richard Baker, Thief River Falls’ Economic and City Development Director on Darling’s involvement in the acquisition.
In a statement, Darling said the transaction wipes away any uncertainty and he’s looking ahead with great excitement.
“We’ve had several family members within the Thief River Falls and surrounding communities that have been faced with uncertainty, and today this acquisition of Arctic Cat has helped lift some of that” Said Thief River Falls mayor Mike Lorenson. “It’ll bring immense relief to the families and we’re optimistic that the renewed energy will not only preserve jobs, but we’ll see if we can continue the pride of the company that has been part of Thief River Falls for over six decades.”
The parent company of Arctic Cat, Textron, announced last December that it was laying off employees and ending production on May 8 in Thief River Falls and St. Cloud. It said “changing business needs require us to reduce our workforce at the location (Thief River Falls) permanently.”
Arctic Cat was first established in 1967.
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