OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions On Ride On Mowers Questions on Greenfield Ride On Mower Frames Greenfield Products Pty Ltd Ceases Business

Hi all,
New member here. I don't think anyone has posted about this here yet, so I may be the first to break this news to some people:

Greenfield Mowers has gone out of business (reference).
They have granted the manufacturing license for their products to Cox Industries.
Spare parts will apparently remain available through a "combined" Greenfield and Cox spare parts catalog, although I'm not sure what this means for availability of older spare parts for previous generations of equipment. I also have no idea what it means for their new products in the future, but the spare parts side of it is far more relevant to this forum.

Anyway, a bit about myself as this is only my second post. I live in New Zealand and do mowing, maintenance and repair on two Greenfield ride on mowers, a 2003 Evolution III 13-32 and a 2009 Evolution Fastcut 19.5-34 (several dealers used to sell them here in NZ too). I've found the wealth of information on the OutdoorKing forums very useful over the last couple of years in doing various maintenance tasks on the aforementioned Greenfields for the first time, and have wanted to post something for a while but just haven't had the reason to until now.

So I thought I'd start a thread here in the Greenfield ride on questions forum (hope that is OK) to let people know if they haven't found out already, and for anyone interested to discuss Greenfield going out of business, and what it may mean for those of us who own and use old Greenfield products and to some degree rely on spare parts being available, etc. If anyone knows anything at all about this (i.e. more details) other than what is readily available on the Greenfield and Cox websites and their YouTube channel (link) I would be interested to know and am sure others would be too.

Regards,
Rupert

Hi Rupert

Well,I'm in shock.
Many thanks for being the harbinger of this news.

I see Greenfield ceased operation in June, 2018.

I feel a few dedicated members will be shocked by this too.

I do not think Greenfield ended due to lack of sales.
Being a family company, I guess it ran its natural course.

I hope Cox retains and develops Greenfield designs, and brands future
Greenfields deserving of the high quality that made Greenfield famous.

Nothing gold can stay.

------------------------------
Jack

Morning,

I'd not heard about this!

Very sad news indeed.

another aussie company that has "rode on ahead" all the best to Lewis

A quick look at the asic website suggests they were wound up by one of their suppliers?

Here is the information on Cox and greenfield which is in print of the Power Equipment Mag.

Something I always expected, no matter how efficient you, can't manufacture a product like this in Aus and remain competitive with imported products. This situation was obvious to everybody back in the 70/80's when the "Button Plan" was introduced and the slow demise of manufacturing began

Yes guys this is rather old news and I'm somewhat surprised that no one on the Greenfield side of this esteemed forum had written about it.

I did speak to another member of ODK when it actually happened and still nothing was written about it.

I always found it rather strange that Lewis Rinehold became a member here and was online on a daily basis communicating with members and then just out of the blue disappeared as quickly as he originally appeared in the first instance.

Anyway this is just another fine example of how this country is going down the chute. How we can just survive on Retail and Hospitality is beyond me as making or building something is the backbone of any strong economy, just ask China. Enough said.

Does this mean my Anniversary model has now gone up in value

Thank you Bruce for the information from the Power Equipment Mag, I had not seen that. I now realize it was (maybe) more of a strategic move between both companies rather than Greenfield simply going out of business.

Yeah I realize this is old news but since no one had posted I thought I would be the first. It seemed very relevant to this forum. I only found out about it after chancing across their dealer update video on YouTube.

Hi Norm,

Has it got a V8 in it or just an Ecotech ?

G'day Bruce and Greenies

Bruce, many thanks for the information from me too.
That's a nice thought GML. Best to Lewis from me too.

RLP, I feel this is a strategic move, but Cox now own Greenfield licence rights.
Cox appear to have chosen - at this time - to continue a joint branding association.

Thanks to PRD for the ASIC research.
I feel this is a case of reading between the lines as to causes and effects.

I wonder what the long-term future of Greenfield designs will be.
The Cox website certainly points to their view on how ride-ons are
evolving away from the old friction drives. Live Drive is really the
only connection with the deceased Owen Cox company.

I wouldn't say this was 'rather old news' at all.
This story is fresh and has plenty yet to tell.

Greenfield is dead, long live Greenfield.

Cheers
---------------------------
Jack

Nothing special about my Greenie here, it has a Briggs in it with a hole in the side, but it is complete so just needs another motor in it, and even though I have a V8 sitting in the garage, I'm not sure that is an option at the moment.

Yep, and sadly it looks like they had been in serious financial strife from early this year at least, including being evicted from their rented factory premises.

To the point that the liquidator regards the transfer of Greenfield's records/assets to Cox Industries as of doubtful legitimacy, and has taken Federal Court action to recover them...
http://www.judgments.fedcourt.gov.au/judgments/Judgments/fca/single/2018/2018fca1252

Very sad indeed, that an iconic Aussie mower manufacturer should come to such a messy demise.

The 302 V8 in my 92 Fairlane will probably outlast the body. I might work on sticking on a VC auto drive if the gearbox can take the torque.
I somehow saw the writing on the wall with Greenfield. Weird this anachonism was producing push mowers while know one knew about them!

I scored my first Greenfield push mower a couple of weeks ago, I might just hang onto it for sentimental reasons. Sadly it doesn't run.

CyberJack, I too now wonder about the long-term future of Greenfield designs.

COX have already announced a new low end "hydro Fastcut" (a regular Greenfield tractor but with a hydrostatic transmission). It must be to address their need to produce cheaper, more disposable products to compete with the imported brands. Ironically, the hydrostatic transmissions are probably imported.

I have to applaud Greenfield for sticking to their design and its quality right to the end. I guess the difference with COX is that they are adapting, and that allows them to survive, but at the same time will inevitably reduce quality.

Watch the value of Greenfields rise over time.
Perhaps CyberJack should sit on his now and use an old beater to cut the grass with.

Morning All,

Thanks for the link Gadge. I'd not seen that.

Messy for sure.

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/yata..._medium=social&utm_source=ios_social

Tripped on this just now. The only thing greenfield is the name! What is it? Just a re-badged Cox?

V disappointed!