Former Arctic Cat executive Brad Darling, along with an investment group, has purchased the Thief River Falls-based snowmobile manufacturer.

Arctic Cat announced the acquisition from Textron Specialized Vehicles on Thursday. Textron has owned Arctic Cat since 2017. The purchase price, terms and name of the investment group were not released.

It’s not clear how the new ownership will affect previously announced layoffs, according to spokesperson Mark Nigon. The company announced in February that 385 employees in Thief River Falls and 19 in St. Cloud would be laid off in May. At that time, Textron also announced the Thief River Falls facility would shut down manufacturing operations on May 22.

For now, Nigon said, the Thief River Falls plant will continue normal operations, and additional information will be released in the coming days.

Darling, the newly appointed CEO, said he’s excited to begin moving the brand forward.

“The pursuit of the checkered flag is in Arctic Cat’s DNA,” he said in a statement. “It’s what we were built on. Like anyone who has ever grabbed the throttle — it’s a relentless drive that pushes us forward and sparks our passion. Today is the start of a new chapter, one where Arctic Cat returns to the race, but with a powerful understanding: this race is never-ending, and our intent is to lead.”

Darling worked with Arctic Cat for nearly 17 years, most recently as the vice president of the snowmobile division, a position he held for five years, according to his LinkedIn page. He left Arctic Cat in 2016 when he became CEO and president of ARGO, a manufacturer of amphibious vehicles. He will continue to lead both companies, and each brand will be owned and operated separately, according to a release.

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