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Douglas Dynamics acquires TrynEx Douglas Dynamics, Inc., a Milwaukee, Wis.-based manufacturer of snow and ice control equipment for light trucks, announced May 6 that it acquired substantially all the assets of TrynEx, Inc., a Madison Heights, Mich.-based manufacturer of truck-mounted ice control spreader and sprayer equipment, as well as turf application and industrial attachment products. Douglas Dynamics' snow and ice control equipment for light trucks consists of snowplows, sand and salt spreaders, and related parts and accessories under the Western, Fisher and Blizzard brands. TrynEx offers its truck-mounted ice control spreader and sprayer equipment under the brand name SnowEx, as well as a full range of turf control and other commercial/ industrial grounds maintenance products under the brand names TurfEx and SweepEx. Acquired assets include TrynEx's full line of product offerings from its SnowEx, TurfEx and SweepEx brands and access to TrynEx's network of approximately 1,500 authorized dealers worldwide spanning 26 countries. The acquisition of the TrynEx assets is expected to be accretive to earnings per share on a full-year basis and free cash flow positive on a stand-alone basis in 2014. Total purchase price was $26 million. "Today's announcement is incredibly positive for both Douglas Dynamics and TrynEx, and strengthens our position as a market leader in both snow and ice control solutions," said James L. Janik, president and CEO of Douglas Dynamics, Inc. "This transaction represents an opportunity for Douglas Dynamics to further enhance our product portfolio and expand the breadth and depth of our capabilities in snow and ice control, while also exploring new growth channels across market adjacencies and expanding our reach to new geographies." The current management of Douglas Dynamics will remain in place and continue to lead the combined company. The TrynEx business will continue to operate as it currently does as a division of Douglas Dynamics, marketing its SnowEx, TurfEx and SweepEx brands under the leadership of its current management team. Douglas Dynamics will also leverage its lean manufacturing expertise to deliver enhanced service to customers and drive synergies. "TrynEx is pleased to be joining the Douglas Dynamics family, and we believe this is an exciting opportunity for our company to expand and grow as part of a larger organization," said Chuck Truan, president of TrynEx, Inc. "Both businesses have similar core values and serve a similar marketplace through different channels, which provides us with opportunities to carve out new markets, leverage shared expertise, and introduce both companies' products to new audiences." Walker wins business ethics award Walker Manufacturing Company of Fort Collins, Colo., received a business ethics award from the Colorado Ethics in Business Alliance (CEBA) at an awards luncheon April 12 at the Hyatt Regency Convention Center in downtown Denver. More than 250 people attended the annual CEBA awards luncheon in a celebration of ethical best practices and behaviors of Colorado community companies, individuals and organizations. Walker Manufacturing won the Bill Daniels Business Ethics Award, which is presented to a for-profit enterprise. The Samaritan Institute Award, which is given to a non-profit group, went to Bayaud Enterprises, Inc., Denver, represented by David Henninger, recognized community supporter of helping others in need. The Daniel L. Ritchie Award, which recognizes an individual for outstanding individual ethical achievement, was presented to Bob Cote, a long-time driving force behind step 13 (sic) in Denver. Each of the three awards recognizes successful organizations or individuals that demonstrate a commitment to sustainability, a proven record of ethical conduct, and socially responsible business practices, all of which extend beyond what is expected or required in the recipient's area of influence. Dean Walker, vice president of Walker Manufacturing, summarized the feelings of all recipients when he said, "Ethical behavior is not only the right thing to do, but also the best course for the success of the enterprise." nizeX introduces customer loyalty program nizeX recently launched an all-new customer loyalty program within its Lizzy DMS software. This customer loyalty program provides dealers with a new incentive to keep their customers coming back, and is customizable for the needs of any business. On April 17, Lizzy customers were treated to a complimentary webinar demonstrating the new program, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Glenn Hancock, nizeX president, explained why customer loyalty programs are so beneficial to dealers. "It used to be that getting the customer in the door was the difficult part; afterward, you could make them a customer for life with good service and fair pricing," he said. "That's just not the way things are done anymore. Consumers are bombarded with ads from big box stores, lured away by low online pricing...you have to give them a reason to come back to you. The customer loyalty program in Lizzy gives you the flexibility to create a program that's right for your customers and your business, and Lizzy does all the work of tracking points for you." The customer loyalty program is simple to set up and easy to use. Dealers can choose to create multiple programs. For example, a dealer could offer a free loyalty program to all customers, and another (with more attractive benefits) that customers must buy into. Options abound for customization as well (e.g. choose how many points customers get per dollar spent; choose what points are worth; choose when the points expire, or allow them to be valid indefinitely; choose what items customers earn points for parts sales, unit sales, service and/or labor). As always, there is no additional charge to Lizzy users to add this new service to their database. Lizzy users are provided with every available system feature for one flat price. OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT JUNE 2013 11