The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute reports that mower shipments for model year 2002 feel slightly, but forecasted sales indicate an increase for model year 2003. Rear-engine riding mowers decreased by 25.1 percent while commercial intermediate walkers also fell by 10.6 percent. No other product category has been more successful than commercial riders over the last 10 years, but compared to 2001 shipments fell by 1 percent in 2002. Walk-behind powered mowers experienced a 3.6-percent increase in 2002 from 2001. This year's sales in all the aforementioned categories (except for rear engine riding mowers) are forecasted to increase in sales compared to 2002. Walk-behind mowers are calculated at a 1-percent increase, commercial intermediate walkers 1.1 percent and commercial riding mowers 9 percent.

Source: OPEI, www.opei.org