A
Uh huh.
Tommy Tiller to step down.
- Thread starter actionfigurejoe
- Start date
W
CRAP!!!!
I am never going to get my letter of apology now!!!!
I am never going to get my letter of apology now!!!!
Somedays you wake up and go to work and find out its a great day... such is the case at Polaris today.
sled_guy
sled_guy
A
Maybe, Tom took Polaris from a Snowmobile Co. that kind of made ATV's to an ATV Co that, Oh yeah, we also make snowmobiles. The next guy may hate the snow and see the shrinking snowmobile market and decide to get out all together. The words will be " We want to spend more time on our core business, ATV's"
I hope I'm wrong, Polaris sleds are headed back to where they were when Tom took over in 98/99, On top of the snowmobile market
D
As a former GE employee I can tell you that anytime you have a GE manager that leaves GE for something else he was typically not the best manager in the world or GE would have kept him. In a Global business you have to be ready to change and diversify..just doing one thing like ATV's will limit your capabilities for growth too much. Any Corporate CEO is pretty much under the gun to obtain a certain amount of growth during his stay or it may be a short one.
Any time you get a former GE exec. at the helm you can bet your a_ss that the purse strings will be tightened and that Customer service will take second place to financial growth. The company culture will be purely financial driven with little regard to employees and customers...just my 2cents IMHO.
W
I hate to break the news to you but they have been saying this for years. ATV's outsell sleds by a HUGE amount and the market is growing while the sled market continues to decline.
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Midwest and eastern snowmobile sales drive the market. Mostly midwest. Here's the problem, snowless winters, high fuel prices, and high inflation is strangling both enthusiasm and financial ability to enjoy snowmobiling. Thus, snowmobile companies are losing their market. I could see Ski Doo as being the last company standing.
A
You are not breaking any news to me, thats just what I said.
There is still room to grow in the ATV market, look at the X2, the 6 pac Ranger and the Razor.
You need to look closer at the company financials. Skidoo has for sure put themselves on top of the sales pile in sleds, but they have racked up a huge amount of debt doing it. Cat for sure is in the worst shape of any of them, but from a pure financials standpoint Doo isn't too far behind.
sled_guy
Where did you find them? I looked a while back and could only find the old parent not BRP. The Canadian Gov't made some big loans & what you say sounds like its correct but where to look-not on any of the US exchanges or OTC.
A
That could be. But the big hammer drops in 2012 with epa regs coming in full force. It's no secret that Polaris' sled line up is a very small percentage of overall sales. 4% to 6% is my understanding. Is Polaris willing to lay out the development costs for ultra clean motors? Even with such a small return? Where will they get the technology? In house? Are the engine guys up to the task? I have no doubt that Polaris chassis guys can design the best chassis in the world. IMO they already have with the IQ. But what about the motors? The Weber hasn't proven itself. While making good power, it's still heavy and sounds like an old Evinrude. I hear a lot of rumors about Polaris teaming up with Mercury Marine to produce a new 4S. Nothing substantial though.
W
Thought you were implying that they would be saying it soon. They are pretty proud of the fact that they have made that transition successfully.
if I were a stock holder I would hope that they wouldn't.
The sled market is going to get a serious shake up in the next few years.
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Guys, most of you have seen it coming, but Polaris is not the little company from Roseau anymore that simply dables in the snow business. They are a ATV, Motorcycle and Sled company that owes all it's success to the sleds but in the same sentence understands money isn't in sleds anymore. Sure they will keep making them as do the others, it's just not the core business anymore. Never will be again at any of these places. Times have changed.
As for Tom, well this happens in every business and it doesn't mean much right now. Polaris is a public company that is run by a board of directors, not just one man.
As for Tom, well this happens in every business and it doesn't mean much right now. Polaris is a public company that is run by a board of directors, not just one man.
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People can say what they want, but they have done very well during his tenure.
I think they still sell more sleds than motorcycles. That has not been taking off like they might have hoped.
I think they still sell more sleds than motorcycles. That has not been taking off like they might have hoped.
S
Well, we all know polaris was founded on sleds. That is there foundation. Get rid of tiller and get someone in there that realizes this. ( not building household appliances ) Ask the atv guys or motorcycle guys. What is Polaris? There reply would be : Polaris is --- was a great snowmobile company. Without a good foundation how can a company survive? Put all your eggs in one basket Polaris, rebuild your foundation. The rest will follow, so will the customers. Get someone in there with some ba!!s that will take this company back to the top. I'm sick of sucking hind tit.
A
Not sure what Polaris you ride, but I don't suck anyone's tit. Not hind tits and especially not yellow tits.
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If Polaris were foolish enough to "put all it's eggs in one basket" they would be out of business within 2-3 years. Times have changed, sleds are dying, ATV's are thriving. The "foundation" is weak and needs to be rebuilt around ATV's with a small motorcycle influence, at least until their bikes become a profitable entity. Their foundation is firmly planted on the ATV's at this point which is EXACTLY what they need.
The BEST thing Polaris could do for their street bikes would be to pull the Polaris name off and just stick to the Victory name.
S
I thought I read somewhere that they started making profits on their bikes last year? Maybe I'm mistaken though?
S
Tom's bonus
I heard Tom's bonus was based on product recalls and service bulletins. He must have made a killing on the '05 900, FST, FS, the ATV ECM nightmare, pinched coil wire nightmare, the 500 EFI cooling/high-altitude fiasco, etc. etc. Yep, he's probably just going to retire and count his money. I hope Polaris cuts the Chinese ties when he's gone and starts selling QUALITY accessories and clothing again. And electronics.
I heard Tom's bonus was based on product recalls and service bulletins. He must have made a killing on the '05 900, FST, FS, the ATV ECM nightmare, pinched coil wire nightmare, the 500 EFI cooling/high-altitude fiasco, etc. etc. Yep, he's probably just going to retire and count his money. I hope Polaris cuts the Chinese ties when he's gone and starts selling QUALITY accessories and clothing again. And electronics.
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