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Innovation in Excitement: The Polaris Journey
Dec 12, 2011
In early 1956, Polaris, then specializing in the building of farm equipment, rolled a new and exciting product off the assembly line. It was the first Polaris snowmobile, and it would forever change the journey of their business. Though other manufacturers were producing similar machines meant to travel across snowy terrains, the first Polaris model proved to truly meet what their outdoor loving and working customers needed. Hunters could now reach their remote lodgings, while farmers and utility workers had easier access to locations that had proven challenging during long winter months. Though the company would return to farm equipment soon after making these first vehicles, employees refused to give up on what they had created and the shift to making recreational vehicles began.
The 1960’s saw mixed results for Polaris. The introduction of their Comet model was not met with as much success as hoped and functionality problems plagued the machine. Polaris bought many of the Comets back, which proved to be a financial struggle. They followed, however, with the very successful Mustang and Colt models that put Polaris on the map as one of the top snowmobile manufacturers in the world.
By the 1970’s, snowmobiling had grown in popularity and racing became an attractive sport. Polaris sponsored teams nicknamed the “Midnight Blue Express” dominated in oval and cross-country competitions. By the 1980’s, Polaris was expanding beyond just snowmobiles, introducing the first ATV in 1984. Then Minnesota Governor Rudy Perpich drove the first model off the assembly line in 1985, introducing a new era for the company. In 1997 they expanded further with their first Victory motorcycle. Polaris announced the Victory with their usual exuberance, driving it into the Planet Hollywood restaurant in the Mall of America.
Today, Polaris is at the top of their industry with sales of $1.99 billion in 2010. Since 2000, Polaris stocks have grown 14% annually and sales are currently up 26% from this time last year, with international sales up a staggering 59%. With their passion for being “the way out” for people looking to escape to the great outdoors, Polaris continues to innovate and create products with the highest user experience in mind.
As a customer of BTD, Polaris represents the innovation, commitment to success and love of adventure and the great outdoors that we are very proud to share.
