The Hesston City Council approved the issuance of $4 million in bonds for the expansion of the Excel Industries, Inc., facility.

Founded in 1960 and based in Hesston, Kansas, Excel Industries is a leading manufacturer of premium commercial and residential lawn care equipment under the Hustler Turf Equipment and BigDog Mowers brands. Excel introduced the world’s first zero-turn mower in 1964 and the world’s first all-electric zero-turn mower in 2008. Excel Industries has a global distribution network of more than 1,600 U.S. dealers and 50 distributors worldwide.

Because about $400,000 of the bonds could go toward new equipment at Ferguson Production, 2130 Industrial Drive, the McPherson County Commission also had to vote on the IRBs.

Attorney J.T. Klaus, Triplett, Woolf & Garretson, LLC., Wichita, represented the city of Hesston at the hearing and said there was no downside to the county in approving the bonds.

“There is no sales tax exemption for McPherson County,” Klaus said. “There’s no property tax abatement for McPherson County. There is no fiscal harm with this for McPherson County.”

No members of the public spoke out during the hearing and the motion passed to approve the bonds unanimously.