Caterpillar Trucks History

The world’s largest manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, Caterpillar has also been a leading manufacturer of heavy-duty trucks since 2006. These trucks are known for their ruggedness and durability. Traditionally, they have been used to haul dirt and sand for construction projects. However, in recent years sales of these trucks have dropped as the industry has suffered from slower demand for freight transport and weak industrial activity.

The company’s history begins in California, where two agricultural-equipment firms – Holt Manufacturing Company and Best Tractor Company – were making steam-driven tractors. Benjamin Holt, one of the brothers at Holt, designed a tractor in about 1904 that ran on continuous metal-belted tracks instead of wheels. It was also the first machine to use a diesel engine rather than a gasoline engine.

In 1925, Holt and Best merged and became the Caterpillar Tractor Company. Today, Caterpillar makes tractors, trucks, loaders, excavators, graders and scrapers for applications in agriculture, construction, mining, logging, and industrial warehousing. The company is also a major manufacturer of diesel and gasoline engines, which power many of its products.

Caterpillar trucks are made in the United States, Europe, and China. In addition, the company operates a number of joint ventures abroad to serve international markets.

Trucks are a key part of the company’s commercial vehicle business and are sold to customers worldwide through a network of dealers. The truck line includes models from the medium-duty class to the high-volume Class 8.

Historically, Caterpillar has had a significant Caterpillar trucks history presence in Peoria, Illinois, where its headquarters and core research and development activities are located. However, the majority of its parts production and warehousing have been outsourced to third parties.

Some of the company’s plants are still located in Illinois, including the Mapleton Foundry where diesel engine blocks are cast and the East Peoria factory that has assembled tractors for more than 70 years. Other sites include Mossville, the company’s oldest engine plant, and Morton, which has a parts facility.

Another important aspect of Caterpillar’s business is the manufacture of its diesel and gas reciprocating engines, which power many of the company’s products. The company’s Perkins brand of small diesel and gas engines was acquired in 1998 to enhance its global position as a full-line producer of these engine types.

In 2003, the company released a new diesel engine, the Caterpillar C7. It was expected to be a game changer in the industry. It was meant to meet the stringent emissions requirements enacted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1994 to curb the amount of carbon dioxide and other pollutants discharged from diesel engines.

The new engine was slated to replace the popular 3126 model and was produced from 2003 until 2009. It was installed in over the road medium-duty class 8 trucks, such as those produced by Volvo AB’s Mack brand, Paccar Inc.’s Peterbilt and Kenworth truck lines, and Damiler AG’s Western Star brand.

Despite the popularity of its bulldozers and excavators, Caterpillar faced a difficult task when it tried to market its truck line. Its main competitor, Volvo AB, had the advantage of having a large truck fleet.