BOSS Snowplow manufactures a wide variety of snow and ice management equipment, including heavy-duty, municipal-grade plows.

IRON MOUNTAIN — BOSS Snowplow, a division of the Toro Co., continues to grow.

In addition to expanding its office and manufacturing facility north of Lake Antoine, the company on June 13 announce it had acquired the liquid deicing assets of Voigt Smith Innovation, a privately-held leading manufacturer of liquid deicing equipment.

“The addition of VSI products to the BOSS Snowplow portfolio strategically positions us to expand our support of snow and ice contractors to include liquid deicing equipment and complimentary support staff to advance customer opportunity in liquid deicing,” said Jody Christy, vice president, BOSS Snowplow.

“The combination of VSI and BOSS products is aligned with our strategic priorities, providing quality solutions, innovative advancements, and service to our customers,” he said.

VSI is known for its industry-leading liquid deicing equipment for snow and ice contractors, offering both brine makers and applicators, and smart-connected technologies. Based in Le Center, Minn., VSI has grown in the liquid deicing market over the past several years through product innovation, education, and industry expertise, company officials said.

As part of the acquisition, the VSI staff will join the BOSS team. Other terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

“Application efficiencies and environmental opportunities make liquid deicing an appealing proposition for snow and ice contractors,” said Jordan Smith of VSI. “As liquid deicing grows among contractors, the expertise and credibility of VSI will enable BOSS to meet customer demand. We believe the reputation, strong network, and resources of BOSS as a leader in the snow and ice removal market will enable continued growth in the market.”

BOSS Snowplow is a leader in the snow and ice management market with a growing line of plows for trucks, heavy equipment, UTVs and ATVs; salt and sand spreaders; and box plows built for the snow and ice management professional as well as the homeowner.

Products are designed for ease of use, quality, and durability. BOSS products are designed and manufactured in Iron Mountain and the company maintains a network of nearly 800 dealers worldwide.

In March, the Iron Mountain City Council approved a $6.7 million office project at BOSS for a 50% property tax reduction under an Industrial Facilities Tax Exemption application. It marked the third BOSS project eligible for benefits under the Michigan Department of Treasury incentive program in less than two years, lifting the total investment to $25 million.

Ground was broken in October on the office project, which provides 15,500 square feet of new space and renovates 10,800 square feet of the current headquarters. The estimated cost is $5.8 million for construction, plus $892,000 of personal property.

At least 60 jobs will be retained as a result, with 12 new jobs expected to be created within two years of completion, according to the IFT application. In all, the expansion allows for an additional 40 office employees, although that growth could be spread out over a few years, the company said.

Also last fall, a $6.3 million manufacturing expansion was approved for a similar tax break. That came after a $12.5 million project completed in early 2021 also received an IFT certificate. In each case, the work qualified for an exemption of up to 12 years, providing a 50% reduction in local property taxes.

BOSS officials said at the time of the first expansion that its Iron Mountain workforce was climbing past 400. The manufacturing additions provided 63,000 square feet of space for a new paint system and robotics, among other improvements.

The initial IFT exemption approved in August 2020 promised 24 new jobs, along with retaining 15 jobs.

The Toro Company is a leading worldwide provider of innovative solutions for the outdoor environment including turf and landscape maintenance, snow and ice management, underground utility construction, rental and specialty construction, and irrigation and outdoor lighting solutions.

With sales of $4.0 billion in fiscal 2021, The Toro Company’s global presence extends to more than 125 countries through a family of brands that includes Toro, Ditch Witch, Exmark, Spartan Mowers, BOSS Snowplow, Ventrac, American Augers, Trencor, Pope, Subsite Electronics, HammerHead, Radius HDD, Perrot, Hayter, Unique Lighting Systems, Irritrol, and Lawn-Boy.