MTD – Milestones in Company History

1932 – The Modern Tool and Die Company – in short MTD – is born in the USA. The company is founded by the German immigrants and engineers Theo Moll, Emil Jochum and Erwin Gerhard.

1933 – MTD grows and buys its own die cutting tools and a rolling machine. The company starts the production of complete window constructions.

1936 – MTD produces its first radiator grill for the automobile industry.

1942 – During the Second World War MTD carries out tool and die work for large companies such as Goodyear.

1952 – MTD starts the production of bicycles and toys.

1954 – MTD produces garden equipment for the first time. The production of the first wheelbarrow lays the cornerstone for MTD's future.

1958 – MTD produces its first rotary lawn mower. This sets the course for specialization in the sector “motorized garden equipment”.

1970 – Back to the roots: with the take-over of the Ventzki GmbH in Germany, MTD returns to the European market.

1975 – MTD takes over Yard-Man in the USA.

1976 – MTD introduces the first lawn tractors with rear discharge to the European market under the brand name Ventzki.

1991 – 1996 – MTD establishes branches in France, Austria, Hungary, Sweden and Denmark. The European central office finds its home in Saarbrücken-Bübingen with the take-over of the well-established company GUTBROD, a producer of motorized garden equipment.

1996 – Tractor production begins in Saarbrücken. MTD manufactures today almost all of the lawn tractors for the European market at its location in Saarland and MTD as only German manufacturer with quality “Made in Germany”, enjoys a good reputation all over the world.

1998 – The central warehouse in Valmont, France is established.

2000 – MTD opens a factory in Hungary for the production of lawn mowers and significantly increases production capacity in Germany. In the same year, MTD begins production of 2 and 4-stroke engines, brushcutters and trimmers by taking over Ryobi North America.

2001 – Further branches in Belgium, Italy and Switzerland are established.

2002 – As a new branch, MTD Poland expands the distribution network in Eastern Europe.

2007 – In its 75th year, MTD once again, expands its production location in Saarbrücken.

2009 – Affiliates in Russia and Bulgaria are established.
MTD takes over WOLF-Garten and fully integrates WOLF-Garten into the MTD-organization.
Foundation of the SWM Italia srl. to support sales in Italy

2010 – MTD establishes an affiliate in the Netherlands