Standing Tall

April 15, 2007
By Gregg Wartgow

Reprinted with permission from:


If flexibility and maneuverability are of concern, the stand-on mower may represent a cost-effective addition to your mower fleet.

When stand-on zero-turns were introduced to the marketplace more than a decade ago, manufacturers hoped the product would soon become as popular as both the sit-down zero-turn and intermediate walk-behind. It never happened. But today, thanks to improved designs, better price points, a refined market position and wider distribution, manufacturers are optimistic that the stand-on won't be standing still much longer.

Actually, the stand-on category has done anything but stand still. Market share has indeed been growing, although this unique product segment has yet to reach its full potential.While several design and distribution changes have taken place over the years, one thing has remained constant: The stand-on mower is designed specifically for landscapers, especially those in metro areas who have smaller, highly landscaped properties to maintain.

"The nice thing about the stand-on is its ability to maneuver into very tight spots, but still give the operator a chance to ride," says Mike Thuecks, vice president of sales and marketing for Ariens Co., manufacturer of the Gravely brand. "Stand-ons also handle hillside terrain effectively, and the outfront deck design provides great visibility in and around landscape obstacles."

Maneuverability, visibility and hillside stability have been the battle cry for stand-on manufacturers since the product's inception in the mid '90s—and still are. However, given the stand-on's evolution and the landscaper's growing need for cost-effective, highly productive, compact equipment, manufacturers are hopeful that more pros will give the stand-on an honest look. It starts with looking at this product from the right perspective.

Weighing the options
Jeff Hallgren, vice president of sales and marketing for Auburn Consolidated Ind. (ACI), manufacturer of the Great Dane and EverRide brands, says landscape contractors have typically compared the stand-on to an intermediate walk-behind. But some of today's more evolved stand-on units, with floating decks and more powerful engines, stack up well against the compact mid-mount zero-turn rider, a product segment that has rapidly grown in popularity.

Bill Wright, president of Wright Mfg., says an increasing number of Wright stand-on purchasers were previously devout ride-on users. "When we first started building stand-on mowers 10 years ago, I'd say 90% of our sales went to landscapers who'd been using walk-behinds. Now we're pulling from both directions about 50/50."

One reason that's happening, Wright says, is because an intermediate walk mower is completely off the table for some landscapers. As certain models of mid-mount zero-turn riders have gotten smaller, some with cut widths as narrow as 34 inches, intermediate walk-behinds have lost their place in the eyes of some commercial operators.

Furthermore, many landscape contractors, especially those who are fairly new to the business, don't even want to think about walking. They want to ride, but they want to ride cost-effectively with a unit that can swiftly maneuver on and off properties.

That said, it's easy to see why pricing has sometimes proven to be an obstacle for the stand-on. "Historically, it was sometimes a challenge to get prospective customers to switch from a walk-behind to a stand-on because the stand-on required a significantly larger investment," says Mark Nielsen, a project design engineer for ACI. "At the same time, it was difficult to get the zero-turn user to switch because the savings weren't quite significant enough."

Expanded product lines with features, options and price points that appeal to both walk-behind users and sit-down users are helping manufacturers appeal to a wider variety of customers.

For instance, a fixed-deck unit, compared to a floating-deck model, comes in at a lower price point that's more likely to entice a traditional walk-behind user. Conversely, a floating-deck unit, perhaps with a wider cut width and higher-horsepower engine, may grab the attention of the ride-on user who's used to spending more anyway.

Property & crew requirements
Monetary investment aside, whether or not a stand-on would make a good addition to your fleet largely depends on the types of properties you maintain. "You also want to think about your crews and how you want to equip them," Wright advises.

For example, many larger landscape contractors operate several "specialized" crews. The stand-on may be a good option for a crew that's maintaining primarily smaller properties, and/or properties with a fair amount of landscaping and/or slopes.

On the other hand, many smaller landscape companies who have a couple do-it-all crews may also find the stand-on to be a good option.

"A mower's flexibility is a big deal to a smaller company that's maintaining several types of properties with the same crew," Wright explains.

While the stand-on is ideally suited to smaller properties and slopes, it does possess the gusto to mow fast in open areas. Still, Wright concedes, if the majority of your properties require wide-open mowing, a mid-mount sit-down zero-turn with a big deck is probably a better choice.

Wider availability
Stand-ons currently represent a small segment of the mid-mount zero-turn market. At the same time, more than double the amount of intermediate walk-behinds are sold than stand-ons. Manufacturers hope all that will change now that distribution for stand-on units is growing.

In late 2006, Ariens Co. entered into a long-term agreement with ACI, under which ACI will manufacture several models of stand-on units for the Gravely line. "Now that another major brand name (Gravely) is available to the market, more eyes will see the product and more marketing efforts will be made to inform potential buyers of this product segment," says Mike Thuecks of Ariens.

Also in late 2006, it was announced that LESCO will begin selling Great Dane Surfer and Super Surfer stand-ons at its 332 Service Centers across the country, starting this spring. "We're doing all this to increase distribution, awareness and access to the stand-on concept," Hallgren says.

Hallgren, not to mention other manufacturers and distributors of stand-on mowers, are banking on that increased access and awareness to create a snowball effect in the way of demand. "Landscapers are looking for cost-effective, productivity-enhancing tools. It helps when they see other landscapers using a certain piece of equipment," Hallgren points out.

Stand or sit — the choice is yours
Still, the only way for a landscaper to know if a stand-on is the right machine for him is to examine the properties he's maintaining.

As Thuecks points out, "We expect our new stand-on units to do well in major urban centers where properties are smaller, but highly landscaped; places where larger ride-on units would really be overkill, but efficient ride-on equipment is still required."

ACI markets the following top 10 reasons to stand rather than sit:

1. Less expensive
2. More compact – turns on a trailer
3. Smaller – fit more on a trailer
4. Easier to mount and dismount
5. Lower center of gravity
6. More traction
7. Less stress on the operator – impact from bumps absorbed by the legs, not the spine
8. Lightweight
9. More responsive
10. No ROPS

While manufacturers such as ACI tout the potential benefits of standing vs. sitting, other manufacturers aren't convinced it's an entirely valid comparison.

"There's no doubt in my mind that sitting is less stressful than standing all day," says Ken Raney, advertising manager for Hustler Turf Equipment. "Lower center of gravity is also debatable."

John Cloutier, a product manager for Exmark, says, "Stand-on mowers are often being compared to smaller mid-mount zero-turns. The more applicable comparison is a hydro walk-behind. When this comparison takes place, the landscaper has to weigh the potential increase in productivity from a stand-on against the cost increase associated with stepping up from a walk-behind."

Smitty's Lawn & Garden, a power equipment dealership in Olathe, Kansas, has been selling stand-ons since 1996. Owner Dave Wood says he's had the most success converting walk-behind users. "Some landscapers who were using riding Z mowers have switched to a stand-on, basically because they can fit more on their trailer. But our objective is to go after the landscaper who's been walking. We've found that it's hard to convert someone who's been sitting down. The stand-on is also hard for some of those guys to learn how to operate."

Bill Wright says he has heard the "ease of operation" issue come up from time to time. "It's not so much an issue of the stand-on being more difficult to operate. It's just different. Get out there and try one out."

The more frequent concern Wright hears is: "Can I stand all day long?" Many landscapers who've switched from sit-down riders to stand-ons tell him they definitely can, and their backs feel a lot better because they are no longer sitting all day with their backs in an L-shape.

There are many different tools landscape professionals can choose from to fit their personal preferences or particular mowing conditions. Cloutier reminds, "There is always a series of pros and cons each potential purchaser must go through when selecting the right mower for their respective client properties and business goals."

To stand, sit or walk—the choice is yours.