Introduction of Caterpillar

What does the Caterpillar do?

Caterpillar is the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives. Caterpillar has enormous global reach in the industries it serves. Caterpillar's global reach and influence are unmatched in the industry. Headquartered in Irving, Texas, USA, it serves customers worldwide. Caterpillar's manufacturing, marketing, logistics, service, research and development (R&D) and related facilities, as well as its dealer locations, total more than 500 locations worldwide. Its global presence, product breadth and financial strength enable it to win in today's competitive marketplace. Moreover, Caterpillar owns approximately 20 brands, and Cat® is the flagship brand for products and services, and customers are served by its independently owned and operated global network of Cat dealers. Its other brands include Progress Rail, Solar Turbines, Perkins and SEM, offering various engine parts of tracks, tractors, excavators.

The history of Caterpillar

Co-founders

Caterpillar’s co-founders are Benjamin Holt and C.L. Best, who contributed to the success of Caterpillar and today's track tractors together. In an era when horses powered infrastructure and agriculture, Holt invented a steam tractor that allowed farmers to work longer hours than their horses in 1890. In order to meet the needs of customers, Best focuses on early gasoline technology.

The advent of tracks and the name "caterpillar"

In 1904, Benjamin Holt replaced the rear wheels of a Holt steam tractor with a pair of tracks to help farmers handle soft soil. During a field test in 1905, a company photographer exclaimed that the machine crawled like a gigantic caterpillar. This is where the name Caterpillar comes from.

From steam to gasoline

Holt was known for developing the track, while C.L. Best focused his inventions on early gasoline and chassis technologies to improve product reliability and performance. In fact, those early features are still part of the DNA of Caterpillar tractors today. After World War I, the Holt Caterpillar Company and the C.L. Best Tractor Company merged to form Track Tractor Company, providing customers with innovative products and a strong dealer network.

Great Depression Leads to Innovation

To provide customers with more power at a lower cost during the Great Depression, leaders like C.L. Best invested in diesel technology. In October 1931, it began production of the Caterpillar Model 60 diesel tractor. After few years, it was the world's largest producer of diesel engines.

Growing Product Line

As the world economy grows, miners need more power and bigger equipment to make mining more economical. To meet their needs, Caterpillar began expanding product line - offering larger, more powerful machines such as wheel loaders, off-highway trucks, larger tractors and hydraulic excavators. There are many good aftermarket caterpillar suppliers for excavators, forklift or other heavy equipment, such as, MyMrRO can offer caterpillar ignition switch, cat 3116 injector, etc.

The first Caterpillar diesel engine

The first Caterpillar diesel engine, the D9900, was produced in October 1931. Diesel engines are efficient, reliable and simple, which led Caterpillar to pioneer in mobile equipment 60 years ago. These also attributes characterize Cat engines today.

Rapid growth

After World War II, a construction boom in the United States, Europe and Asia brought rapid growth and drove Caterpillar to expand its operations around the world to better serve our customers. In the 1950s, we started creating overseas subsidiaries to manufacture our machines and parts for the local market. At that point, we became a multinational company with our equipment working on every continent, including Antarctica.

Caterpillar incorporated

Caterpillar's first acquisition dates back to 1928 with the acquisition of the Russell Grader Company. Throughout its history, it has acquired companies and technologies to grow capabilities and expand product lines. It has been providing solutions beyond the tractor production line for many years. In 1986, it officially changed company name from Caterpillar Tractor Company to Caterpillar Incorporated.