Charlotte, N.C. (February 6, 2014) – Jacobsen®, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, has acquired the assets of Dixie Chopper®, a Coatesville, Indiana-based manufacturer of zero-turn radius mowers for the commercial and residential markets.

“The addition of Dixie Chopper expands our reach into the consumer and commercial sectors, including municipalities, with a full range of zero-turn mowers known for their speed, quality and performance,” said David Withers, President of Jacobsen. “It’s really a win-win for both companies and we look forward to building customer relationships together with Dixie Chopper.”

Known as “the World’s Fastest Lawn Mower®,” Dixie Chopper mowers are capable of mowing up to 6.6 acres per hour. The company manufactures eleven models of zero-turn mowers, from the residential Zee 2TM with 21 HP Kawasaki® engine and 42” deck to the industrial category XCaliber TM Twin with two 27 HP Generac® engines and 74” deck.

“We are excited to join the Jacobsen and Textron family of brands,” said Dixie Chopper Chairman Art Evans. “Our line of zero-turn radius mowers fit perfectly into the Jacobsen portfolio of products and we look forward to working together to serve more customers. The joining of Dixie Chopper and Jacobsen offers an opportunity for Dixie Chopper to reach a larger market and expand brand awareness in the process.”

Jacobsen will continue to operate Dixie Chopper out of the company’s Indiana facilities and its existing management team will join Jacobsen.

With the addition of Dixie Chopper, Jacobsen offers a complete product line of turf maintenance equipment, including zero-turn mowers, small and large area reel mowers, trim mowers, wide-area rotary mowers, aerators, sprayers, utility vehicles and renovation equipment.

About Jacobsen

With over 90 years of experience in the turf maintenance industry, Jacobsen, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) Company, has built a legacy of precision craftsmanship, legendary quality of cut and unmatched expertise. Dedicated solely to delivering perfectly groomed turf, Jacobsen equipment is used on some of the finest formal turf areas across the United States and the world, through an extensive distribution network and the international Ransomes® brand. Additional information about the company can be found at www.jacobsen.com.

About Textron Inc.
Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defence, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell
Helicopter, Cessna Aircraft Company, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, and Textron Systems. For more information visit: www.textron.com.

About Dixie Chopper

Founded in 1980, Dixie Chopper revolutionized the entire lawn and garden industry by providing the first zero-turn lawn mowers built specifically for commercial mowing contractors. Today Dixie Chopper continues to lead the industry in innovation and quality. Known as “the World’s Fastest Lawn Mower,” Dixie Chopper mowers are about much more than being fast. The company prides itself on providing quality and reliability in addition to speed. To learn more about Dixie Chopper and view the complete lineup of zero-turn lawn mowers, visit the company’s website at www.dixiechopper.com.

For further information please contact:
Adam C. Slick, Public Relations & Communications Manager, Jacobsen
11108 Quality Drive, Charlotte, NC  28273
Tel: 704.504.4867
Email: aslick@textron.com

Certain statements in this press release may project revenues or describe strategies, goals, outlook or other non-historical matters; these forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update them. These statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.