Photo: ToroToro came to this year’s GIE with an extensive collection of new products to showcase.
Starting off the company’s collection was the Z Master 7500-G 96” gas mower, which features Toro’s Horizon onboard intelligence platform.
“When it comes to zero-turn lawn mowers, we have redesigned every single zero-turn in our lineup so we can focus on the customer,” says Tom Werner, senior product marketing manager with Toro.
The company says the massive mowing deck can fold its wings up to 75 inches, allowing it to fit on most standard trailers, and the wings flex up to 20 degrees and down to 15 degrees, which hug the ground as you mow. Toro adds that when the engine isn’t on, operators can still lift and fold the deck and run fans for cooling with the 40-amp charging system.
“Our Z Master 7500-G series mowers are game-changers for landscape contractors, and we’re excited for people to experience the incredible performance that these machines are engineered to deliver,” says Mitch Hoffman, marketing manager at Toro. “It’s a good feeling knowing that your mower is not only powerful and comfortable, but it also saves you money and time in the long run.”
Toro adds that this machine is built to last with a protective engine hood, bullnose bumper, 250-lb. Warner clutch and a 7-gauge deck.
Next in the lineup was the growing line of 60-volt Flex-Force products, including the new 21” steel deck push mower and a 24” hedge trimmer.
Photo: Toro“At Toro, our path to innovation really starts and ends with the customer,” says Aran Brosnan, marketing manager with Toro. “Rather than come to market with a ‘me too’ type of product, our new 60-volt lineup builds on the unparalleled authority that has been recognized with multiple number one rankings across a variety of industries. Customers now, especially in the battery realm, are seeking that balance between performance and ease, and that’s really what we’re going after here with the 60-volt Flex-Force battery-powered lineup.”
Toro says the 21-inch Recycler 60V mower is designed to save time, finish faster and make the job easier. The company says these mowers cut nutrient-rich clippings into fine pieces and return them to the soil to promote a healthy-looking lawn. The mowers are also able to start with the push of a button and the deck is made of steel instead of plastic for more durability.
The company also launched a 60V hedge trimmer that Toro says is lightweight and compact while still delivering the power and run time to still get the job done.
“There’s a common perception that choosing a cordless battery-powered product means compromising on power or features,” says Chris Urlaub, associate marketing manager at Toro. “That’s not the case with the Flex-Force line. Our priority was to design for performance, first and foremost. These are full-featured products with the same performance as our gas-powered products; they just happen to be battery-powered.”
All of the products in the 60V Flex-Force Power System line feature Toro’s lithium-ion batteries, and the products are covered by full warranties.
Photo: ToroToro also introduced the Super Recycler mowers that can fertilize a lawn while you mow due to the Super Recycler Cutting System. The company says the cutting blade and clipping accelerators shave down clippings into a fine mulch to return nutrients back into the lawn.
“We have a premium line of gas mowers we’ve had for many years now that we truly consider the greatest of all time mowers,” says Brosnan. “When it comes to a beautiful looking lawn, these mowers are second to none. When we were looking to relaunch this product line, we stepped back and looked at the things that customers love that make it great today, and we kept those features and added on more.”
The recyclers come with semi-pneumatic tires, wheel pivots, greaseable rear pivot arms and commercial wheel clutches, and they also feature Flex Handle suspension systems.
Lastly, Toro talked more about its new Horizon app that allows landscapers to help track their crews and equipment, automate billing systems and more.
“When talking to our contractors, what we realized is that equipment is really not the main concern; they’re really concerned with scheduling and understanding whether or not their guys are going to show up that morning,” says Chris Vogtman, senior marketing manager with Toro. “With Horizon, it helps (landscapers) manage their business and cut chaos down to size.”
Toro says this cloud-based app holds all your important business information in one place, including customer data, crew details, job schedules and much more. GPS technology allows you to provide remote job estimates, and geofencing lets you track your crew’s movements and ensure your equipment is where it’s supposed to be.
The company adds that you don’t even need to own Toro equipment to utilize the app, as it’s compatible with all brands. Once your crew uploads the software’s app onto their phones, Toro says they simply log in using a secure 4-digit PIN and they’re ready to go.
“Our continued commitment is to put contractors in the driver seat to help manage the daily chaos flying at them from every angle,” says Dave Francis, senior marketing manager at Toro. “Horizon is built to streamline a contractor’s operation, but we put extreme focus on keeping the platform easy to use and implement. More importantly, Horizon was built to scale with contractors as they grow, from the start to finish of every day and every season.”
