In 1960 in a garage in Thief River Falls Minnesota Edgar Hetteen made the first Arctic Cat snowmobile after departing from his original start up company, Polaris Industries. “We were all so dedicated to the little beast we called the snowmobile. That’s all we talked about. That’s all we dreamed about.” – Edgar Hetteen. In the 60’s and 70’s Arctic Cat made snowmobiles and also ventured into many other opportunities such as boat manufacturing, generators, snowblowers and mini bikes. In 1982 the company still went bankrupt. However, in 1984 Arctic Cat was re-opened and the Arctic Cat name lives on. In 1996 Arctic Cat started making ATV’s and work related side by side vehicles. In 2017 Textron purchased Arctic Cat in a cash transaction and has rebranded the dirt units to Textron Off Road. The Snowmobiles live on as Arctic Cat. Arctic Cat sill manufactures 90% of their vehicles in Thief River Falls and the motors are designed and built in St. Cloud Minnesota.

Arctic Cat Snowmobiles are always breaking engineering barriers to create more … More power, more comfort, more adventure. Arctic Cat snowmobiles have been atop the racing circuit for years and the mountain sleds have pushed technology faster than any other brand on the market. These sleds are tested by the toughest athletes around to ensure a high quality product is distributed. “We’ve gone from a 12-mph rear-engine farm implements to turbo-charged rocket ships sporting 12 inches of cushy suspension, electric-heated seats, 150-mile range and the ability to climb (or leap) mountains.” – John Sanberg. Roger Skime, an employee at Arctic Cat since 1962 said “Edgar Hetteen always used to say, ‘the first snowmobile race happened when they build the second snowmobile.’ Competition has been part of our DNA since Edgar founded the company in 1960. Edgar himself brought me to the very first Eagle River World’s Championship in 1964, before we had any idea of what the race would become. The company has raced ever since, because it is the ultimate test of our products and ideas.”

“Like you, we are enthusiasts who are empowered by the great outdoors. We are motivated by our passion for hard work and the pursuit of adventure. At Arctic Cat we are committed to building products and providing services that deliver the experience enthusiasts expect from us. This commitment is engineered into our engines, our chassis, our suspensions, our gear and accessories. We wear our pride on our sleeves and across our chests – a statement to the world that everything we do is done with purpose and precision. That is how we create the ultimate off-road riding experience for fellow enthusiasts who share our passion.” – Arctic Cat