Ingersoll-Rand Company Limited announced it has agreed to sell its Bobcat, Utility Equipment and Attachments business units to Doosan Infracore for cash proceeds of approximately $4.9 billion. According to spokesperson Paul Dickard, “The sale is subject to customary closing conditions and is targeted to close early in the fourth quarter of 2007.” The combined businesses manufacture and sell compact equipment, including skid-steer loaders, compact track loaders, mini-excavators and telescopic tool handlers, explained Dickard. “The sale of Bobcat, Utility Equipment and Attachments represents the last major action to transform our business portfolio to reposition Ingersoll-Rand as a diversified industrial company,” sated Herbert L. Henkel, chairman, president and CEO. He continued by saying, “We remain focused on driving growth and creating shareholder value through three strategic platforms serving global climate control, industrial and security markets.”

“For over seven years, KYMCO USA has been the exclusive distributor in the United States for KYMCO brand ATVs, scooters and motorcycles manufactured in Taiwan by Kwang Yang Motor Company, LTC,” stated Marketing Communications Manager Rick Pawelka, who added, “Now, as a result of signing a new, expanded joint venture agreement with its Taiwanese manufacturing partner, KYMCO USA will have access to even greater levels of factory support.” Pawelka told us key personnel from Taiwan will join KYMCO USA in Spartanburg, SC, where they will participate in new product development designed specifically for the needs of American consumers.

Chad Hales, an ATV enthusiast, along with an estimated 10,000 other ATV riders were expected to head to Texas Hogwallow for a new offroad park located north of Deweyville, said the Beaumont Enterprise. Park founder and owner Artie Longron intends to introduce trails and many other attractions throughout the year, but for now, he is pleased to open the first offroad track and park within a 150 mile radius, explained the Enterprise. The park’s grand opening featured more than 15 monster trucks, 4x4 and ATV mud drag racing, obstacle courses, mud bogs and snorkeling, plus a pig catchin’ contest for kids, the paper added.

“The Berlin City Council (NH) has put on hold the transfer of land from the city to Jericho Mountain State Park, a new ATV park, saying the state attorney general’s office has reworked the proposed deed,” reported the Laconia Citizen, which added, the city council decided it did not plan to sign the deed; however, it has agreed to donate the 290 acre parcel, which includes Jericho Lake, to the state for the ATV park. The city’s refusal to sign the deed was reportedly due to the removal of a clause granting the city the right of revision if the state stops operating the state park there and the city’s desire to reserve mineral rights to certain areas was also eliminated. “Also changed was a second document granting the Bureau of Trails a right of way allowing it to develop some trails on the parcel the city owns on Route 110,” the Citizen added.

A national recreation group stated they would extend the public comment period by 45 days for a controversial planning process that proposed to close over 75 percent of historic roads and trails in the Sierra Nevadas, explained BlueRibbon Coalition (BRC) spokesperson Don Amador. “The BRC is urging the agency to take advantage of the additional time to issue supplemental environmental analysis to address substantive procedural problems and fatal flaws in the Forest’s current planning documents.” Amador added the BRC believes the Eldorado National Forest’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement has misinterpreted direction in various agency documents, including its Forest Plan, the National Travel Management Rule, Roadless Area management and a federal court order to create a perfect storm of ‘regulatory gridlock’.” Amador stated, “I think it is important for elected officials, local users and sportsmen to make a formal request to the agency to allow for a viable alternative that fully develops a pro-recreation alternative with quality dispersed camping opportunities and a substantive route network that reflects public awareness needs to the forest.” He concluded by saying the comment period ends October 22.

The Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forests have proposed a new travel management plan that will determine summer road/trail usage throughout their districts, including the Cle Elum and Naches ranger districts, informed the Yakima Herald (WA). According to the paper, one of the focuses of the plan has been to improve opportunities for some motorized use, most notably for the increased use of all-terrain vehicles within these parks. “In Naches’ Bear Creek area, all of the four wheel drive trails would be connected so ATV users can make loops,” explained the Herald. It added, the Cle Elum district has proposed, pending a safety analysis, to designate 38 miles of mixed-road use that would enable offroad motorcyclists and ATV riders the opportunity to loop through different trail systems. “The Forest Service’s plan calls for all of the decisions and changes to be finalized by 2009 and have the new travel management maps in time for the spring of 2010,” the Herald concluded.