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in the best light to the general public. Its second focus area is the economic and regulatory environment, which includes in large part the regulatory and political activities in Washington, D. C. and the 50 states. Third is to continue presenting a dynamic response to changing environments around the economy, politics and more.
OPEI ANNUAL MEETING REPORT
The 2025 Annual Meeting of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute( OPEI) took place near Park City, Utah at Deer Valley’ s Stein Eriksen lodge. OPEI leaders assembled a powerful posse of presenters who spoke about corporate culture, current economic forecasts, trade policy and tariffs, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and several vital missions and projects of OPEI staff and board members. OPE + attended the event and we present a few highlights. to be up nearly 15 % over 2023 revenue. Thorne reiterated the three focus areas for the OPEI board.
First, to support the industry’ s common interests including tracking statistics and trends, advocating for the industry, and promoting the industry
Home sales drive OPE spending What drives spending on outdoor power equipment? New home sales, according to Dave King of the Farnsworth Group, a market research consulting group specializing in home improvement and the lawn and garden industry.
The years 2023, 2024 and 2025( to date) stand out, said King, as years with the fewest first-time home buyers in the last 25 years. And the OPE market in that period, he said, has been flat. Home affordability, due to home prices and higher interest rates, is a challenge because people can’ t buy a first home or move up to take on a higher interest rate. Much of the data King provided pertains more to residential equipment sales and less to the commercial mar-
Thorne kicks off event, his last David Thorne, OPEI Board Chair and VP of Deere’ s Turf & Compact Utility group, kicked off the meeting’ s opening session; it would be his last OPEI meeting due to his upcoming retirement from Deere.“ The OPEI has never been healthier,” he said. The association’ s dues revenue is up, participation in the Equip Expo trade show is at an all-time high, and the product representation is increasingly diverse. The group projects its fiscal 2025 revenue
David Thorne welcomed the group to the OPEI annual meeting.
Dave King presented data tying home sales to power equipment sales trends.
www. OPE-Plus. com July 2025 OPE + 5