Scag Lawn Mowers: Who Owns Them And Where Are They Made?

Well-marketed names like John Deere have taken the spotlight when it comes to popular lawn mower brands, but being a household name isn't the only mark of success in the industry. While it has generally flown below the public radar, Scag Power Equipment has been manufacturing mowers for more than four decades, building a lineup that now includes over 60 commercial and residential mower models.

Established in 1983, Scag Power Equipment entered the market with a single commercial riding mower with a gear-drive system, eventually expanding to a wider offering of both commercial and residential lawn mowers. Scag originally contracted its production to Metalcraft of Mayville, or MOM, a Wisconsin-based metal fabrication company with history dating back to 1920, when it was first known as Peerless Traveling Goods. Three years later, in 1986, MOM purchased Scag outright, officially bringing the mower brand under its umbrella.

As of publication, Scag still operates as a division of Metalcraft of Mayville, Inc., which also still offers metal fabrication, automation, and plastic molding services for a variety of industries. Since the brand merger, Scag has expanded well beyond its original riding mower to offer walk-behind, stand-on, and zero-turn lawn mowers, along with spreaders, aerators, and other outdoor power equipment.

Scag lawn mowers are manufactured in Wisconsin, where the company has maintained its production since its founding. According to Scag, its equipment is designed, fabricated, and assembled at its facilities in Mayville, West Bend, Beaver Dam, Fall River, and New Berlin. Metalcraft's Mayville headquarters alone encompasses more than 600,000 square feet of manufacturing space, while its other facilities handle various aspects of machining, fabrication, welding, and assembly. The company also operates a dedicated facility in Horicon, Wisconsin, specializing in rotational plastic molding and value-added assembly.

What sets Scag's manufacturing process apart is the extent of its in-house production. Rather than simply assembling mowers from components supplied by other companies, Scag starts with raw sheet metal and tube steel, which workers cut, shape, weld, and paint before assembling the finished equipment. According to the company, producing most of its own fabricated steel components gives it greater flexibility in product design and more control over component quality. Each completed mower also undergoes operational testing before leaving the assembly line, including checks of engine RPM, safety switches, fluid levels, leaks, and other adjustments.