Ariens Company announced May 26 that it has purchased a majority shareholding of the Oxfordshire, United Kingdom-based ride-on mower manufacturer, Countax Ltd. The agreement was reached with Countax Managing Director Harry Handkammer, who will remain as managing director of the company.

“We are committed to reinvigorating Countax and see opportunity for growth,” said Dan Ariens, president, Ariens Company. “Countax will also give us a European base of operations from which we can grow other segments of our current business in that part of the world.”

The family-operated Ariens Company currently sells lawn maintenance equipment and snow throwers under the Ariens brand across the European community, Central Europe and the Nordic countries.

Countax will continue to manufacture its range of ride-on mowers, both the Countax and Westwood brands. Countax employs 130 people in Oxfordshire and currently sells products in the UK, Germany, France and the Netherlands through independent equipment dealers. The company will also maintain distribution of the Echo, Echo Bear Cat and Shindaiwa brands in the UK. Visit www.countax.co.uk for more information.