Charlotte, NC - October 2, 2009 - Jacobsen, a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, is a leading manufacturer of turf maintenance equipment and at the forefront of environmental issues in the golf and grounds care sector. As a concerned global manufacturer of top-notch turf maintenance products, Jacobsen is taking the lead in utilizing new, environmentally aware technology in their products.

Jacobsen’s commitment to the environment is demonstrated by their recent ISO 14001 accreditation, the international standard for environmental management. This is a voluntary company standard that helps an organization to effectively manage its impact on the environment. Employee participation and commitment to the effort of keeping the company as clean and green as possible is crucial, and the team at Jacobsen headquarters in Charlotte, N.C., is fully supportive of the project.

ISO 14001 involves a continuous cycle of planning, implementing, reviewing and improving the actions that an organization takes to meet their environmental obligations. Jacobsen has been using this standard as a tool to further integrate environmental consciousness into core business operations and promote continual improvement.

Typical of Jacobsen’s approach are the design of products that use less energy and reduce air and noise pollution. This renewed commitment began back in 2005 with the development of their Eclipse™ 100 series walking greens mowers. The Eclipse 100 was developed with a choice of hybrid power – a small petrol engine connected to an electric genset - or a battery pack powering independent electric motors to the drive roller and cutting reels.

Today, Jacobsen has 10 mowers available with hybrid and battery energy sources. All have been field tested and superintendent approved with up to 40 percent annual savings in fuel costs on hybrid models.

In 2008, at the Golf Industry Show in Atlanta, Ga., Jacobsen unveiled the Eclipse™ 322, the first hybrid riding greens mower in the industry. Jacobsen took its knowledge and engineering excellence from the walking mowers and implemented it with a riding mower design. The Eclipse 322, now in production, features an option of either hybrid or battery powered systems. These systems are simpler, faster and far less expensive to maintain than traditional gas-powered machines. There are no hydraulic maintenance costs, because there is no hydraulics, no leak points and no possibility of broken hoses. Also, both models use far less energy and fuel and are considerably quieter than conventional riding greens mowers.

Another area of industry leadership is the use of bio-oils. Jacobsen developed GreensCare™, a biodegradable hydraulic fluid used exclusively in all golf products since 2002. As a non-toxic, completely renewable seed oil-based product, GreensCare outperforms standard petroleum-based hydraulic fluids and eliminates the risk of long-term turf problems and environmental contamination that have long been associated with mineral-based hydraulic fluids. As the industry leader in biodegradable fluid technology and a company intent on being a good environmental steward, Jacobsen continues to set an example by preparing the turf industry for the challenges that lie ahead.

The company’s environmental conscientiousness is not restricted to North America. Ransomes Jacobsen is a division of Jacobsen, based at Ipswich, United Kingdom, that serves a territory encompassing Scandinavia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and India. Ransomes Jacobsen also has ISO 14001 accreditation and is the only turf equipment manufacturer in Europe to meet this international standard. They developed the first Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) powered triple mower for the municipal sector back in 2003. The benefit of using LPG is that it produces less carbon emissions at the point of use than conventional diesel or gas-powered mowers.

Ransomes Jacobsen also manufactures an electric burden carrier, the Diabline. Designed and built with the “electric” future in mind, this is the first all-electric vehicle with an aluminium monocoque chassis and integrated hydro-pneumatic suspension developed from racetrack competition technology. This results in an exceptionally light, strong and stable load-carrying unit, fully type-approved and capable of carrying a half-ton payload at 30 mph.

Ransomes Jacobsen’s environmental commitment is not just confined to its manufacturing operations and products. They also support industry-wide initiatives and organizations, sponsoring the United Kingdom Sports Turf Research Institute’s golf course environment awards and partnering with the international Golf Environment Organization, dedicated to sustainable golf course design and operation across the globe.

Jacobsen is proud of its industry leading heritage around the world, continued today with its environmental commitment to the turf maintenance sector.

About Jacobsen
Jacobsen manufactures an extensive range of turf maintenance equipment and utility vehicles to meet the needs of today’s grounds care professionals. Jacobsen provides dedicated support and service training and conducts thorough testing for quality and reliability. The company markets Jacobsen products in the U.S. and internationally through an extensive distribution network and the Ransomes brand through independent distribution in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, North America, Oceania and South America. Jacobsen, headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is a Textron company. Additional information about the company, its products and commitment to customer support is available at www.Jacobsen.com.

About Textron Inc.
Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell Helicopter, Cessna Aircraft Company, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, and Textron Systems. More information is available at www.textron.com.