Craftsman zero-turn lawn mowers are built by MTD, a major outdoor power equipment manufacturer that also produces machines for Cub Cadet and Troy-Bilt. The Craftsman brand itself is owned by Stanley Black & Decker, which purchased it from Sears Holdings in 2017. In 2021, Stanley Black & Decker acquired MTD, bringing the primary manufacturer of Craftsman zero-turns under the same corporate umbrella as the brand. Sears continues to sell Craftsman products under a licensing arrangement but no longer owns the brand. Earlier Craftsman mowers were built by other manufacturers, including Husqvarna and its predecessor AYP, so the factory behind a specific mower depends on its age and model line.
The Short Answer: Craftsman Is a Brand, Not a Factory
When you buy a Craftsman zero-turn mower, you are purchasing a product branded by Stanley Black & Decker but assembled by a contract manufacturer. For current zero-turn models, that manufacturer is MTD. This arrangement—where a brand owner contracts production to a specialist factory—is standard across the lawn and garden industry. The Craftsman name on the hood tells you who stands behind the warranty and design specifications, not which factory welded the frame or stamped the deck.
Stanley Black & Decker has owned the Craftsman brand since 2017, when it acquired the trademark and associated assets from Sears Holdings. Sears retained a license to keep selling Craftsman products in its stores and online, which is why you still see the brand at Sears today. The actual production of zero-turn mowers, however, has long been outsourced. MTD has been the primary contract manufacturer for Craftsman zero-turns for many model years, and since Stanley Black & Decker’s 2021 acquisition of MTD, the brand and its main builder are now sister companies within the same corporate group.
Brand Ownership vs. Manufacturing: Why the Distinction Matters
In the outdoor power equipment industry, the company whose name appears on the product is rarely the company that owns the factory where it is built. This model, known as contract manufacturing or original equipment manufacturing (OEM), allows brands to focus on design, marketing, distribution, and customer support while leveraging the specialized production capacity of large-scale manufacturers.
MTD is one of the largest such manufacturers in North America. It operates multiple factories and produces riding mowers, zero-turns, walk-behinds, and snow throwers under its own brands—Cub Cadet and Troy-Bilt—while also building equipment for other labels. When MTD builds a zero-turn for Craftsman, it follows Craftsman’s specifications for features, styling, and price point. The resulting machine may share a chassis, drivetrain, or deck design with a Cub Cadet or Troy-Bilt model at a similar price tier, but the final configuration, controls, and cosmetic details are tailored to the Craftsman brand.
This shared-manufacturing approach is why two mowers from different brands can look similar underneath. It does not mean they are identical. Each brand specifies its own component selections, quality thresholds, and feature sets. A Craftsman zero-turn and a Cub Cadet zero-turn built on the same platform may have different engines, deck constructions, control layouts, and warranty terms.
A Short History: From Sears to Stanley Black & Decker
The Craftsman brand was created by Sears in 1927, initially for hand tools. Over the decades it expanded into lawn and garden equipment, becoming one of the most recognized names in American garages. For most of its history, Sears both owned the brand and controlled its distribution through Sears catalogs and retail stores. The actual manufacturing was always outsourced to various suppliers.
In 2017, Stanley Black & Decker purchased the Craftsman brand from Sears Holdings for approximately $900 million. The deal gave Stanley Black & Decker full ownership of the trademark and the right to sell Craftsman products through any channel—home centers, mass merchants, online retailers, and independent dealers. Sears negotiated a long-term license to continue selling Craftsman merchandise, which is why the brand remains on Sears shelves today.
Four years later, in 2021, Stanley Black & Decker acquired MTD. This acquisition brought the company that had been building many Craftsman zero-turn mowers into the same corporate family as the brand itself. The move gave Stanley Black & Decker greater control over product development timelines, quality oversight, and supply-chain coordination for the Craftsman outdoor power equipment line.
Who Builds Craftsman Zero-Turn Mowers?
MTD is the primary contract manufacturer for current Craftsman zero-turn mowers. MTD’s production facilities in the United States—including plants in Ohio, Tennessee, and Mississippi—assemble the frames, decks, and drivetrains, then install engines, transmissions, and controls to the specifications provided by Stanley Black & Decker’s product team.
MTD also manufactures zero-turn mowers for its own Cub Cadet and Troy-Bilt brands, as well as for other private-label programs. This scale allows MTD to invest in automated welding, powder-coating lines, and robotic assembly cells that would be uneconomical for a smaller brand to maintain on its own.
Historically, Craftsman lawn equipment has been built by several different manufacturers. In the 1990s and 2000s, many Craftsman riding mowers and early zero-turns were produced by AYP (American Yard Products), which was later acquired by Husqvarna. Some compact tractors and garden tractors carried the Craftsman name but were built by other partners. Because of this varied history, a Craftsman zero-turn from 2005 may have a completely different pedigree than one from 2023. The model and serial number are the only reliable way to determine the actual manufacturer of a specific unit.
How to Find Out Who Made a Specific Craftsman Zero-Turn
If you own a Craftsman zero-turn mower or are evaluating a used one, you can identify its manufacturer by locating the model and serial number plate. This plate is typically mounted under the seat, on the frame near the rear wheels, or on the dashboard area. The model number usually follows a format such as “13AX” or “17AR” followed by additional digits, while the serial number is a longer alphanumeric string.
With the model and serial number in hand, you can:
- Visit the Craftsman website and use their parts lookup tool, which often displays the manufacturer code in the parts diagrams.
- Check MTD’s parts lookup site (partstree.com or mtdparts.com) by entering the model number; if the machine was built by MTD, it will appear in their database.
- Search the model number online along with the term “manufacturer” or “built by” to find forum discussions or parts listings that identify the factory.
- Look at the engine brand and model separately—the engine (Briggs & Stratton, Kawasaki, Kohler, etc.) is always made by a dedicated engine manufacturer and is not an indicator of who built the mower chassis.
If the mower is older (pre-2010), there is a higher chance it was built by AYP/Husqvarna or another partner. In those cases, the model number prefix may differ, and Husqvarna’s parts lookup may return results. When in doubt, a local outdoor power equipment dealer can often identify the manufacturer by cross-referencing the model number in their parts systems.
Common Misconceptions to Keep in Mind
“Sears owns Craftsman because they sell it.” Sears is a licensed retailer, not the brand owner. Since 2017, Stanley Black & Decker has owned the trademark and controls product development, licensing, and distribution strategy.
“The Craftsman name tells you who built the mower.” The brand indicates who specifies the product and backs the warranty. The actual factory is a contract manufacturer—currently MTD for zero-turns, but historically several different companies.
“A Craftsman zero-turn is the same as a Cub Cadet.” Shared manufacturing platforms mean structural similarities, but each brand selects its own engines, deck thicknesses, control systems, seat designs, and feature packages. They are not interchangeable, and parts may not cross over even when the frames look alike.
“All Craftsman mowers come from the same factory.” Different product lines (walk-behinds, tractors, zero-turns, handheld tools) have been sourced from different manufacturers over the years. Even within zero-turns, model tiers may come from different production lines or partner factories.
“The engine brand is the mower manufacturer.” Engines are sourced separately. A Craftsman zero-turn with a Kawasaki engine was not built by Kawasaki; Kawasaki supplied only the powerplant.
Key Terms to Know
- OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer): The company that actually builds a product, which may then be sold under another company’s brand.
- Contract Manufacturing: A business arrangement where a brand owner hires a factory to produce goods to its specifications.
- Rebadging / Badge Engineering: Applying different brand names to products that share a common underlying platform or design.
- Zero-Turn Mower: A riding mower with independent wheel motors that allow it to pivot 360 degrees in place.
- MTD: A major North American outdoor power equipment manufacturer that builds Craftsman, Cub Cadet, and Troy-Bilt products.
- Stanley Black & Decker: The current owner of the Craftsman brand (since 2017) and of MTD (since 2021).
- Sears Holdings: The former owner of Craftsman, now a licensed seller of the brand.
- Model and Serial Number Lookup: The process of using the identification plate on a machine to retrieve its specifications, parts diagrams, and manufacturer information.
Understanding the relationship between the Craftsman brand, Stanley Black & Decker, and MTD clarifies why the answer to “who makes Craftsman zero-turn mowers” is not simply “Craftsman.” The brand defines the product; the factory builds it. For today’s zero-turn lineup, that factory is MTD—now a sister company within the same corporate family.
