Textron is a $13.5 billion multi-industry, publicly traded (NYSE) company operating in 25 countries. Its 2014 Fortune 500 ranking is 228. In 1960, Textron acquired Augusta-based E-Z-GO – founded in Grovetown in 1954 – making it one of the oldest businesses in the Textron portfolio. About a month ago, in order to better reflect the powerful brands delivered by the local plant, E-Z-GO was renamed Textron Specialized Vehicles. “We felt the E-Z-GO name was limiting,” says Kevin Holleran, President. “We renamed to capture the breadth and depth of what we do.” Textron Specialized Vehicles is one of four units comprising Textron’s Industrial Group, which accounts for approximately 25 percent of Textron’s overall revenue.

Four well-known brands, including the iconic E-Z-GO golf car, are manufactured in the South Augusta Textron Specialized Vehicles plant. “There’s been a steady increase in functions and volume through our facility,” says Holleran. Cushman, a brand of multi-passenger shuttle vehicles and work vehicles, was acquired by Textron in 1998. Those operations were consolidated from Lincoln, Nebraska to Augusta shortly after. In 2010, Bad Boy Buggies, a consumer brand for outdoorsmen, was purchased and relocated from Natchez, Mississippi.

This year, TUG, which builds ground support vehicles for airports, was added to the Textron Specialized Vehicles family. Textron has a large footprint in the aviation and aerospace industry, as well as the industrial and defense sectors. Holleran notes, “For Textron to be able to play on that position of strength with TUG makes sense for us. Macro-economically, the aviation industry is doing well.” Each new aircraft requires ground support of various vehicle types.

The Textron Specialized Vehicles manufacturing plant is a vertically integrated 750,000 square-foot facility over five main buildings. From fabrication of raw materials to assembly on one of four lines to loading final products on trucks, every stage of the process takes place here. Ryerson, a steel supplier, and Facil, the fastener supplier, operate stores on site to support the assembly lines. The engineering department develops and tests innovative designs. The sales and marketing department identifies and nurtures customer relationships. Though there are additional operations in California and India, plus worldwide sales offices, Holleran emphasizes, “This is the world headquarters for Textron Specialized Vehicles.”

In total, Textron Specialized Vehicles employs about 1300 people, nearly 750 of whom are employed at the Augusta facility. An additional 200-300 contract employees help the company address seasonal peaks in demand. About 50 summer interns enrich their college education with hands-on work experiences, a number of whom later join Textron Specialized Vehicles as full-time employees. Another 1000 CSRA jobs are indirectly supported. Several large suppliers, including U.S. Battery, have located in the area to be closer to Textron Specialized Vehicles, which also purchases components and services from numerous other local companies, including RBW Logistics, MAU, Eagle Parts & Products and F&W Transportation

Innovation is the name of the game for industries to survive and prosper in today’s economy. For almost 40 years, under the E-Z-GO name, the company relied on the golf industry for revenue. The beginnings of diversification in 1998 with the Cushman purchase capitalized on what E-Z-GO already did well and enabled the company to expand into other customer bases needing to move people and materials. As the golf market has contracted, the Textron Specialized Vehicles market has expanded due to company leaders’ outside-of-the-box thinking. By asking, “What do we do well and who else can benefit from it?” they have launched the company into a new era of productivity and record growth. E-Z-GO Jiangsu even provides in-country production capabilities in China.

Holleran states, “The markets we compete in are more global every year. Our challenge is to be one of the first movers and to introduce innovation that the customer is willing to pay for.” The goal of Textron Specialized Vehicles is to set the pace from a technology standpoint. One recent innovation receiving a lot of attention in the Bad Boy Buggies brand is the Ambush 4x4, the first parallel 4x4 on the market, with dual independent gas and electric powertrains. “We don’t want to follow,” says Holleran. “We want to be at the front blazing the path. It’s a great niche we’ve carved.”