Despite Arctic Cat’s production pause, recent weather has snowmobile companies optimistic

OSSEO, Minn. — Arctic Cat announced this week that it will temporarily halt production and likely cut much of its workforce in Thief River Falls and St. Cloud. That could mean hundreds of people would be out of work.

The announcement comes after last winter’s mild temperatures led to this a big drop in snowmobile sales.

But snowfall in recent days has local dealers optimistic.

“We’re seeing a lot of new parts being installed,” said Jim Biskey, service manager at Heinen Motorsports in Osseo.

Last winter season, sled work and repairs were rare at Heinen.

An extremely mild snowmobile season caused the sales department to fall a bit behind.

“In December and January we were selling motorcycles that people were riding home on,” said Jordan Deutscher, sales associate. “You can’t see that because it’s winter. That shouldn’t be possible.”

After a winter with average snowfall, Heinen may still have fifteen to twenty snowmobiles in the showroom. After last winter there were almost a hundred.

Sales decreased by 50% compared to the previous year. But it’s funny what a few inches of fresh powder can do.

“As soon as it started flying yesterday and stuck to the ground, and didn’t just start melting right away, the phones went off the hook for people wanting snowmobiles,” Deutscher said.

And if the snow sticks around, they can get back on track. But there are industry-wide concerns about what the Arctic Cat news means for snowmobile dealers.

“They’re not going to produce anything for the next six months,” Deutscher said.

At the same time, Heinen and others have been told that they will not be left out in the cold.

“I don’t think you’ll have any trouble getting most of the parts,” Biskey said.

So it is ‘business as usual’ for the service and sales departments. They’ll have their fingers crossed that this week’s winter explosion was just the beginning.

“As long as the snow sticks around, sleds are going to be sold and people are going to go horse riding, that’s exactly what we’re doing here in Minnesota,” Deutscher said.