The Diesel Progress North American Newsmaker of the Year is awarded annually to the company, product, person, technology, trend or market that made the most news in the last 12 months in the off-highway, on-highway, stationary and marine engine-powered equipment markets. Cummins Inc. was the 2013 Newsmaker of the Year and previous recipients include Caterpillar, Navistar, selective catalytic reduction, and Oshkosh Truck Corp.

A late flurry of acquisitions and engine news from both Briggs & Stratton and Generac Holdings Inc caused the editorial board of Diesel Progress to call it a tie for 2014 or the first time in their 18 year history.  The magainze said that both Briggs and Generac seem to be going down very similar paths of growth and diversity, and their activities in 2014 highlighted that.

"While both companies are long established, and very well-known names in the engine and engine-powered equipment markets, there really was a sense in 2014 that these are two companies coming of age,” said Mike Osenga, publisher of Diesel Progress North American. “Both companies are making aggressive moves, going into new and different product and market segments, while at the same protecting their core businesses.

“In the end it was impossible to decide between the two. Every time we talked about what Briggs had done, the next comment was always about what Generac was doing. The parallel and similar paths the two companies are on is amazing and unique. Thus we opted for the tie.”