Old Cat machine working in dirt on top of hill overlooking wooded town and mountains. Caterpillar Then & Now.
Old Cat machine working in dirt on top of hill overlooking wooded town and mountains. Caterpillar Then & Now.

Caterpillar
Then and Now

While many things have changed since our early days, the heart of Caterpillar remains the same.

 

In 2020, Caterpillar celebrated 95 years since the Holt Manufacturing Company and C.L. Best Tractor Co. merged to form the Caterpillar Tractor Co. Since that time, our business has grown tremendously, expanded globally and played a role in projects that have shaped the world’s history. While many things have changed since our earliest days, our commitment to safety, quality and customer success has remained foundational.

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CUSTOMERS

THEN

The steam tractor replaced literal horse power on farms and made farmers more productive. Before long, our customers expanded beyond the farm to include the builders of iconic infrastructure projects like the Hoover Dam, the Golden Gate Bridge and the Panama Canal. Our generator sets helped provide power for the Apollo 11 mission.

Then
Then

NOW

We have customers around the world doing the work to build a better world. Like hospitals that need reliable power for life-saving equipment. Or landowners working to restore wetland ecosystems that are threatened by climate change. Our aftermarket services help our customers be more successful — no matter what challenges they face.

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Customers Now
Customers Now

PRODUCTS

THEN

Tractors were once built only with round wheels, but when one of the founders of Caterpillar, Benjamin Holt, tried to use one in the soft soil of California’s San Joaquin River Valley, the machine sunk. He realized that a more even distribution of weight was needed — and soon the track-type tractor was born. This machine became part of the Caterpillar original product lineup.

Then
Then

NOW

Today’s Cat® machines deliver industry-leading fuel efficiency and accessible maintenance features that reduce owning and operating costs. Next generation models include factory-integrated Cat Grade technology and available features like Cat Command for dozing, increasing operator safety, comfort and productivity and making remote and semi-autonomous operations possible.

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Products Now
Products Now

DEALERS

THEN

Dealers have been distributing our products around the world since before Caterpillar even became a company. After the merger in 1925, one of the first obstacles the new company faced was selecting dealers from among the former Best and Holt organizations. By the end of 1925, when work was nearing completion, the list included 89 dealers, many of whose names would still be familiar 95 years later. Names still seen today included Yancey, Ziegler, Quinn, Fabick and others.

Dealers Then
Dealers Then

NOW

Dealers remain a vital link to our customers, providing not just equipment but services and expertise. Today, there are 161 Cat dealers around the world with teams dedicated to supporting and repairing technology equipment, rebuilding machines and providing training in the field, online and in the classroom.

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Dealers Now
Dealers Now

EMPLOYEES

THEN

Our founders were a pair of curious inventors, fascinated with their day’s innovations like the airplane and the automobile. The Holt and Best families were known for dreaming up new ideas and were awarded nearly 200 patents.

Employees Then
Employees Then

NOW

Team Caterpillar remains a team of makers, problem-solvers and world-builders who pursue operational excellence in all that they do. Today, we hire skilled engineers and technicians and a diverse and global team of digital experts, finance and marketing professionals, Environment, Health and Safety professionals and customer support agents.

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Customers Now
Customers Now

SERVICES

THEN

Holt and Best initially used “parts books” with hand-written descriptions and dimensions of every part in a machine to reproduce worn-out parts for customers on request. When a piece of equipment went down while working in a farm field, Caterpillar Tractor Co. dealers would deliver the needed part using another new technology — the airplane.

Services Then
Services Then

NOW

The Caterpillar Aftermarket Parts Distribution and Integrated Logistics team uses the latest digital, analytics and data forecasting tools to predict parts demand and optimize shipping and delivery. Today, the majority of parts' orders are on the shelf of either Cat dealers or the Caterpillar network and can be on their way to customers in 24 hours or less.

FIND PARTS
Services Now
Services Now

A CHANGING WORLD

THEN

Holt sold tractors to the U.S. Army during World War I, while C.L. Best won over the domestic market and built a dealer network. Following the war, the two companies needed each other, leading to the merger that created Caterpillar. We developed new technologies, such as the motor grader, that helped the country rebuild during the Great Depression. When automobiles created a demand for a better road system, we expanded our product line to customers’ needs.

A CHANGING WORLD Then
A CHANGING WORLD Then

NOW

Cat equipment is on the ground for some of the 21st century’s most significant infrastructure projects, like the new Istanbul Grand Airport and the Belt & Road Initiative. And we’re there in the aftermath of natural disasters such the California Wildfires in 2020. Cat dealers, our factories and distribution centers work together to get generators, machines and work tools to the right places.

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A Changing World Now
A Changing World Now

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HISTORY

Our History in innovation began more than 100 years ago with Holt and Best.

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The videos and photos shown here were captured before the COVID-19 pandemic. Caterpillar follows stringent measures – including wearing masks and social distancing – to continue working safely.