Kohler Engines for Small Equipment.... Might Be Going Away

[MarkF48]

I've had Kohler engines in a few lawn mowers and snow equipment over the years and they've been about the best I've owned and parts when needed were usually pretty available. It appears Kohler engines has been bought out and the future of the Kohler small engines is questionable.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Many of them have been made in china for a while now.

SR

 

[5030]

My K Series Kohler cast iron engine will most likely out last me. Makes a beautiful sound when idling too. Looks to me like just a name change...

 

[MossRoad]

Kohler Energy is now Rehlko 2024

Kohler Energy is now Rehlko 2024. Rehlko builds on a 100-plus-year legacy of powering an energy resilient world for a better future.

www.engines.rehlko.com

 

[MossRoad]

All of the engines on their website still say Kohler on them.

 

[5030]

Sort of a word jumble on the word Kohler....

 

[hayden]

So Kohler Energy was just spun out from the greater Kohler parent and is now a stand alone company. And now they are changing their name to an anagram of Kohler, Rohlko. I think the only significant part of this is that they are majority owned by a Private Equity firm. That usually goes well for the private equity firm, and poorly for everyone else.

 

[MossRoad]

Sort of a word jumble on the word Kohler....

They did that on purpose. Said so in the press release.

 

[MossRoad]

So Kohler Energy was just spun out from the greater Kohler parent and is now a stand alone company. And now they are changing their name to an anagram of Kohler, Rohlko. I think the only significant part of this is that they are majority owned by a Private Equity firm. That usually goes well for the private equity firm, and poorly for everyone else.

Kohler is still an investor with them. Only future will tell.

 

[RandyT]

I just think the name change will have a negative impact on their market share. when potential mower buyers walk into a box store or a dealer ship and the dealer has mowers with Kawasaki, Briggs, and Rehlko. How many are going to go for the Rehlko over the other well known name brand engines.

And Rehlko is now owner by the same company that owns Oregon tool. And from the mower repair side of the world the last couple years or so have been disappointing as far as Oregon parts availability. Like the will offer new items when the new catalog comes out but then never stock them.