Innovation in Action
Imagine a fairway mower that drives itself or a robotic lawnmower that gives homeowners an always ready lawn™. A GPS-guided sprayer that’s so precise it automatically turns individual nozzles on and off to virtually eliminate overlap. A battery-powered commercial mower that can power through tough grass from dawn till dusk. Or software that lets a landscape contractor manage their equipment, staff and invoicing in one convenient place.
This isn’t just a vision for the future. It’s what’s happening now at The Toro Company.
At The Toro Company, innovating for the future is part of who we are. It’s been at the core of our culture since 1914, and it’s how we became the company we are today. After more than 100 years of industry firsts and thousands of product and technology patents, we know what it takes to stay ahead of the curve. And we’re on a mission to keep breaking new ground for the customers we serve.
We don’t just make products. We solve problems.
For us, innovation isn’t just about big ideas; it’s about creating useful solutions that deliver real value. We’re committed to making our customers’ lives better and their jobs easier by helping them increase productivity and efficiency.
It’s a customer-centric approach.
We’re continually evolving with and for our customers. That starts with listening to them and understanding their business. From sharing their challenges and unmet needs to testing prototypes in the field, our customers are true partners in the process. As a result, our innovations are based on deep market knowledge most tech startups don’t have.
We apply technology holistically.
When customers choose from among our many global brands, they get more than individual products. They have access to a complete suite of solutions that work together. From powerful lithium ion battery products that share interchangeable batteries to business software that helps them work more efficiently, customers can count on us for an ecosystem with technology at the core.
Setting the standard for what’s next.
Driven by these principles, a dual transformation is underway at The Toro Company as we enhance the products our customers depend on now and create the solutions they need for the future. This transformation includes a strategic focus on three key areas: alternative power, autonomous solutions and smart connected products. Here’s a glimpse of what’s new and what’s ahead.
Toro has a full suite of lithium-ion battery-powered products for homeowners to care for their landscapes — as well as hybrid and battery-powered products for golf courses, sports fields and grounds, and battery-powered commercial equipment for professional landscapers and construction contractors.
These products represent a new generation of battery technology, delivering impressive power and charge life for those who want the benefits of electric equipment without compromising on performance. Our electric products are engineered to deliver the superior results, ease of use and productivity-boosting efficiency customers have come to expect from our traditional fuel products.
One groundbreaking example is Toro’s battery-powered Revolution™ Series line Z-Master® and Grandstand® commercial mowers, featuring our proprietary HyperCell™ battery system that has been designed with the flexibility to be used across a wide range of products within our family of brands. Providing all-day run time on a single charge, the Revolution Series line takes electric products to a new level with innovations that help landscape contractors save labor and increase productivity.
Helping golf and grounds customers reduce fuel and maintenance costs, Toro's Workman® GTX Lithium-Ion utility vehicle delivers hours of reliable performance while making a big impression on productivity., the Workman GTX Lithium Ion does it all while eliminating daily battery maintenance, reducing charge times and still hauling and providing peak battery efficiency throughout the life of the batteries.
A major step for the electric-powered equipment market, Toro’s e-Dingo® allows contractors and construction professionals to realize all the benefits and power of a standard compact utility loader with zero exhaust emissions. Ideal for indoor construction and demolition jobs, the lithium ion battery-powered e-Dingo has the ability to use common attachments that work with Dingo models, allowing operators to handle a wide variety of tasks with greater efficiency.
To further support our commitment to environmentally responsible and sustainable practices, our development team is also working on recycling and alternative use opportunities for lithium-ion batteries. This includes a battery recycling partnership at mass retailers for homeowner products, and exploring second-life opportunities for HyperCell™ batteries in commercial applications.
The Toro Company is fully committed to driving autonomous solutions in the markets we serve to increase productivity, deliver more consistent results and alleviate some of the challenges our customers face. That includes developing a variety of autonomous solutions for residential, golf and commercial applications and beyond.
To help customers save time and get back to what they enjoy doing most, Toro’s new robotic, battery-powered lawnmower represents the latest in smart-connected technology for homeowners and their yards. Featuring the industry’s first vision-based localization system and wire-free navigation, the technology makes installation simple and navigating around obstacles seamless.
Toro’s GeoLink® Solutions™ include a GPS-guided sprayer that is available on the market today, and we are working on an autonomous fairway mower and commercial mower concept. Acquisitions of Left Hand Robotics and TURFLYNX, along with our internal investments and teams, have been instrumental in the development of these products and have helped accelerate our innovation pipeline of autonomous technologies.
Toro’s Tempus Automation System is the first in the agricultural irrigation industry to feature 4G/Wi-Fi/LoRa/Bluetooth technology. This intuitive cloud-based platform provides instant access to every controller, valve and sensor in the irrigation system to help growers reduce overall labor, improve crop irrigation/fertigation, and remotely monitor the entire system as well as agronomic conditions. The Tempus system was recognized as a 2021 New Product Contest Winner by the Irrigation Association.
Providing a retrofit solution for aging or damaged pipe infrastructure without the need to dig or replace existing pipe, Bluelight™ technology by HammerHead Trenchless is the most advanced light curing system available. The Bluelight LED Cured-in-Place Pipe (CIPP) Lining System contains a specially formulated resin liner that is pushed through an existing pipe and hardened under LED light to cure up to five times faster than conventional methods to extend the service life of pipe for up to 50 years.
These solutions are targeted at enabling our customers to do more with less as they face ongoing labor challenges. Our goal is not to replace labor with autonomous products, but to allow staff to focus where they’re needed most — doing more detailed work that requires more skill and decision-making.
As we continue developing autonomous solutions, we’ll be looking at how this technology can be used to provide better experiences at various levels of autonomy — not just in fully autonomous machines, but also in autonomous subsystems or functions on our products.
Smart technology is now part of everyday life, enabling people to manage their homes and devices from anywhere in the world. As we develop new innovations, we not only consider how smart technology can enhance an individual product, but how we can build an entire ecosystem around it. The application depends on the customer, but a connected ecosystem can make a big difference for commercial customers who need to manage people and resources efficiently to get the job done each day.
Toro’s Horizon360® software is designed to provide the backbone of a landscape contractor’s business. Over two years in the making, it was developed based on extensive customer feedback and brings together critical information in one convenient location — from equipment tracking and performance and crew scheduling to invoicing and budgeting. It’s also the first business management system to use GPS and machine telematics to connect employees, equipment and crews.
Another example is Toro’s IntelliDash™ platform, which offers golf customers cloud-based irrigation control and course management with real-time operational data. This platform integrates with Toro’s Lynx® Central Control, Turf Guard® wireless soil sensors and myTurf® Pro fleet management tool to combine equipment, labor and agronomic data in one dashboard. Course managers can use this information to simplify course operations, identify inefficiencies and better allocate resources.
For homeowners, we also have developed our SMRT Logic® technology that provides cloud-based control of their irrigation system, outdoor lighting and other key features of their landscape through the SMRTscape™ app or website.
A strong foundation for moving forward.
As we look ahead, our technology roadmap is built on key strategies that enable us to be nimble yet smart decision-makers. An important part of that roadmap is a team that’s dedicated exclusively to exploring opportunities for innovation.
The Toro Company’s Center for Technology, Research and Innovation (CTRI) supports research and development across the enterprise and our global portfolio of brands. The CTRI team works on behalf of all our markets and customers to investigate emerging technologies and generate ideas that solve problems in ways that are both novel and useful. Comprised of leading agronomists and engineers, this group has been influential in the development of products that increase productivity, save water, reduce fuel consumption and improve growing conditions. The CTRI team has also laid the foundation for future innovations in robotics, fuel cells, advanced battery technologies and precision site management.
Investing in the future.
In addition to the work of the CTRI team, we invest in talent and teams to support growth. We're committed to building a future-ready team to position the company for success and better serve our customers. Intentional acquisitions also add technologies, talent and expertise to our brand portfolio to accelerate development in the areas where we’re invested. Plus, our teams are collaborating across the company in new and exciting ways to share knowledge and resources.
Doing what’s right.
Another key component of our roadmap is timing. When it comes to innovation, we don’t rush to market; we take the time to get it right. No solution is ready until it has been field-tested, engineered and refined to ensure it meets the highest standards of performance, reliability and safety. Because of the strength of our local support and reputation for quality and durability, customers look to our brands for innovations they can trust. They know they’re not just getting a product, they’re getting a relationship — and that’s a key driver to choose our brands when they adopt new technologies.
Curious about what’s new at The Toro Company? Get a pulse on the latest innovation headlines from each of our brands by visiting the links under “News” on The Toro Company website.