For the first time in the 18-year history of Diesel Progress North American magazine’s Newsmaker Of The Year, there is a tie.
The recipients of the 2014 Newsmaker Of The Year are a pair of Milwaukee-area companies, Briggs & Stratton Corp., Milwaukee, and Generac Holdings Inc., Waukesha.
The Diesel Progress North American Newsmaker of the Year is awarded annually to the company, product, person, technology, trend or market that made the most news in the last 12 months in the off-highway, on-highway, stationary and marine engine-powered equipment markets. Cummins Inc. was the 2013 Newsmaker of the Year and previous recipients include Caterpillar, Navistar, selective catalytic reduction, and Oshkosh Truck Corp.
A late flurry of acquisitions and engine news from both companies caused the editorial board of Diesel Progress to call it a tie for 2014. Briggs and Generac seem to be going down very similar paths of growth and diversity, and their activities in 2014 highlighted that. Complete details on the selection of Briggs & Stratton and Generac can be found in the December issue of Diesel Progress North American.
“While both companies are long established, and very well-known names in the engine and engine-powered equipment markets, there really was a sense in 2014 that these are two companies coming of age,” said Mike Osenga, publisher of Diesel Progress North American. “Both companies are making aggressive moves, going into new and different product and market segments, while at the same protecting their core businesses.
“In the end it was impossible to decide between the two. Every time we talked about what Briggs had done, the next comment was always about what Generac was doing. The parallel and similar paths the two companies are on is amazing and unique. Thus we opted for the tie.”
Diesel Progress North American is a publication of Diesel & Gas Turbine Publications, Waukesha, Wis. and covers the manufacturers of engine-powered equipment outside of the automotive world. Founded in 1935, Diesel & Gas Turbine Publications also publishes Diesel Progress International, Diesel & Gas Turbine Worldwide and COMPRESSORtech magazines, as well as the Diesel & Gas Turbine Sourcing Guide and Compression Technology Sourcing Supplement.
For more information: www.dieselprogress.com or www.dieselpub.com.