Toro has sold its Trencor brand and its auger boring business under the American Augers brand as it increases its focus on underground construction equipment.
Michael Byrne Manufacturing acquired the assets of the Auger Boring Division of American Augers. This acquisition includes all inventory, intellectual property and the continuation of parts and service warranty support for existing customers, the company says.
The buyer of Trencor was not disclosed. The purchasing company asked that its name not be revealed, according to a Toro spokesman. Trencor makes large tracked trenchers and surface miners.
Toro says it will maintain its ownership of American Augers’ underground equipment, including large horizontal directional drills, pumps and fluid cleaning systems, which it will continue to manufacture in West Salem, Ohio.
“Today’s announcement within our construction portfolio places additional focus on the core underground categories that will provide the greatest growth opportunity and best position our business for future success,” said Peter Moeller, group vice president, Construction Businesses at The Toro Company. “Supported by demand in the pipeline, water and energy transmission sectors, we are excited about the near and long-term prospects for our underground construction business and our ability to deliver cutting-edge solutions to meet the needs of our customers.”
Toro acquired Trencor and American Augers through its purchase of Ditch Witch parent Charles Machine Works in 2019 from the Malzahn family, which had owned it from its start in 1949. That sale included Ditch Witch, which both Trencor and American Augers brands were under, as well as HammerHead Trenchless and Subsite Electronics. The Trencor and American Augers brands became part of the Ditch Witch division within Toro.
As part of its focus on underground construction, Toro acquired ProKASRO Services USA in February through its HammerHead Trenchless division. The company is the distributor of German-based ProKASRO Mechatronik’s robotic solutions and rehabilitation equipment for repairing underground water and wastewater infrastructure.
