The new owner of Arctic Cat announced it has launched its model year 2026 snowmobiles and will start rehiring workers at its Thief River Falls and St. Cloud plants.

A group including former Arctic Cat executive Brad Darling bought Arctic Cat in April from Textron, which had paused most operations and laid off most of the workforce.

Darling — who now serves as CEO of both Arctic Cat and Argo, a Canada-based maker of ATVs and utility vehicles — this week announced a 2026 lineup of 21 snowmobile models that will be available for dealers and customers this fall.

"Once we got the keys, we knew moving fast was our only option," Darling said in a news release. "Having the ability to release a lineup of snowmobiles that offers new models and significant updates was the first step."

Production workers will be brought back in stages over the summer so that Arctic Cat suppliers have time to refill inventory.

"We are able to re-engage the majority of our workforce of just under 500 employees, providing stability to our extended family," Darling said.

David Joles, The Minnesota Star Tribune
Most Arctic Cat workers were laid off, but the company's new owner says it will hire back about 500 workers by late summer.

The company said it will ramp up production in Thief River Falls and at its engine manufacturing plant in St. Cloud.

A spokesman declined to give more details except to say, "We anticipate production of the new product to begin late summer. As more information becomes available, we will share it."

Textron Inc. bought Arctic Cat in January 2017 for $247 million. In December, it said it would suspend production of snowmobiles and laid off 65 workers, and in May announced it was laying off 385 more workers as the company sought strategic alternatives.

Terms of the deal between Textron and the current owner were not disclosed.