Bush Hog recently introduced 7 new products, offering new product categories, enhancements on existing products and a re-introduction of a popular series. The goal was to add features, offer dealers additional products and meet attractive price points. Bush Hog, based in Selma, Ala., started producing rotary cutters in 1951 and its lineup now extends to zero-turn radius mowers, tractor loaders, backhoe attachments and landscape tools.

“We want to maintain our position as an industry leader and grow on that. We are committed to bringing out the right products at the right price point to fit the commercial and ‘prosumer’ market,” says Tony Marchese, who joined Bush Hog in May as vice president of sales and marketing. “We want to continue to link ourselves to commercial end users, farmers, roadside clearing companies and the hobby farmer market. We want to continue to meet consumers’ needs with the Bush Hog brand.”

Highlighting New Products

Of the 7 new products, Marchese highlighted the re-introduction of the BH Series Razorback single spindle cutters and 2 new flex wing models in a recent conversation with Rural Lifestyle Dealer.

The Razorback cutters are available in 4-, 5- and 6-foot versions and designed for use on tractors ranging from 15-25 PTO horsepower. “The Razorback series is for entry level customers and hobby farmers. It’s ideal for customers who want to cut grass and weeds up to 1 inch in diameter. At $999 for our 5-foot units, it puts us in a great price point with our competitors, even those that sell at retail chains. Its specs can meet and beat competitors. It has a 12 gauge top deck and a 10 gauge C channel on the sides. Its gearbox can support up to 60 horsepower and it has a 3-year limited warranty. Take those features and then sell the product through a dealer who makes sure to set it up … that gives dealers something they can get behind and I think our customers will also be excited about it. We’ve also brought back the Razorback name,” Marchese says.

“We’re meeting a price point that we hadn’t been able to do for a number of years. Our cutters had been from $1,299 and above. The market has shifted and the price point for a 5-foot model had to be between $950 and $1,000. Dealers were asking Bush Hog to meet demands for quality and still get us to that price point,” he says. “We’re trying to get that first-time hobby farmer and rural homeowner. Once they experience the Bush Hog brand, they can become a lifelong customer.”

Bush Hog has reintroduced its BH Series Razorback single spindle cutters, which are available in 4-, 5- and 6-foot versions.

The new 1812 12-foot flex wing rotary cutter is designed for tractors in the 50-75 PTO horsepower range and can cut grass and brush up 1.5 inches in diameter. Its features include a patented oil sight gauge, a smooth top deck for easier cleaning and an optimized blade tip speed for a better cut. The 1812 model cutter offers wing-free float from 22 degrees down to 25 degrees up without moving the hydraulic cylinder rod, helping preserve the cylinder life.

“Our 1812 flex wing rotary cutter is designed for smaller tractors and is excellent for rolling terrain. Its smooth top deck is easy to keep clean and very easy to service,” Marchese says. “We’ve always made 12-foot cutters, but this redesign has taken our original model and made enhancements, such as the smooth top deck.”

Another enhanced model is the 2820 flex wing 20-foot rotary cutter. The 2820 has Bush Hog’s “industry first” 3-inch diameter gearbox output shaft. It has in-line axle turnbuckles that reduce bending loads on the cutter’s axles, 50% more wing hinge surface area to reduce hinge wear and grease fittings and spring steel bushings to minimize wear at each pivot point. It has 50% thicker wing and center skids for longer life and a free wing float from 22 degrees down to 25 degrees up. The cutter can be equipped with round blades for normal mowing or straight blade bars for crop shredding. It also features the oil sight gauge.

“The 20-foot flex wing is the cornerstone of the Bush Hog company and it builds on the tradition of our high quality commercial cutters,” Marchese says. “Another thing Bush Hog is doing on all cutters 12 feet or wider is to add transport lights. That feature will be required by law in 2015, but we’re ‘ahead of the curve.’ ”

Bush Hog’s other new products include:

• The 1815 flex wing 15-foot rotary cutter is designed to cut grass and brush up to 2.5 inches in diameter and can be used for such tasks as maintaining pastures, shredding stalks, mowing drainage areas and cutting large maintenance areas such as airstrips. It is designed for tractors 60-130 horsepower.
• The new BSR line of independently suspended wheel V-rake hay tools can adjust to changing field contours and result in maximum pickup of cut material in varying crop conditions. The rakes are available in 8-, 10- and 12-wheel versions and range in operating widths from 16.5 feet to just over 24 feet.

Bush Hog is now offering a new version of its V-rake hay tool, the BSR Series Rakes. The rakes are available in 8-, 10- and 12-wheel versions and range in operating widths from 16.5 feet to just over 24 feet.

• Two new series of hydraulic drive post hole diggers can be mounted on excavators, skid steer loaders, backhoes and front-end loaders. The mounting brackets provide a dual swivel feature that keeps the auger vertical while digging. The diggers range from 6-36 inches and are built with 3/8-inch thick single flighting.
• Pasture aerators are available in 8 or 10-foot versions and can penetrate the ground up to 8 inches deep. They are designed for use on tractors of 40-90 horsepower.

Supporting the Dealer Network

Marchese says they are growing the Bush Hog brand by offering new products to existing dealers as opposed to adding dealers. “We have a well-developed dealer network and we’re trying to bring them more products so they can expand their business with us, like with our new hay rake lineup. Bush Hog isn’t known for hay rakes. As we expand our lines, we hope to become more relevant to more customers.”  

Bush Hog is also introducing new programs to support dealers. For instance, the company is enhancing its support of dealer equipment demonstration programs and plans to launch a dealer council this fall. Marchese says they’ll continue to introduce new products into 2016 and are preparing for a new zero turn line, which is expected to be announced in 2015.

Marchese says the company’s brand image is appealing to a new generation of rural lifestylers, who may not be familiar with the company. “We’ve gotten good feedback and they like the toughness of our logo. Some companies would die to have our brand. It’s fun and we have a strong history of performance you can count on.”