Caterpillar Company History
Enjoy the ingenious machines from our rich heritage, and more importantly, the people who founded and built the company one breakthrough at a time. Beginning with Benjamin Holt and C. L. Best, the people of Caterpillar have always been – and continue to be – extraordinary.
View Our History by the Decades
1920s – The Merger and a New Company
1930s – Decade of Innovation
1940s – Contribution and Change
1950s – Earthmoving and Becoming a Multinational Company
1960s – Breakthroughs and Great Projects
1970s – Firsts and Sustainability
1980s – New Opportunities
1990s – Continuing Industry Leadership
2000s – Beyond the Yellow Iron
2010s – Rail, Mining, and Beyond
2020s – History is Still Being Made
1920s – The Merger and a New Company
1925: The Holt Manufacturing Company and the C. L. Best Tractor Co. merge to form Caterpillar Tractor Co. C. L. Best is appointed first Chairman.
1927: Caterpillar designs its first new product: the Model Twenty Tractor.
1928: Caterpillar makes its first acquisition by purchasing Russell Grader Manufacturing Company.
1930s – Decade of Innovation
1931: Caterpillar begins producing its first diesel engine, an industry first: the D9900.
1931: Caterpillar changes the standard color of its machines from gray with red trim to “Hi-Way Yellow” with black trim.
1936: Caterpillar track-type tractors help build the Hoover Dam.
1937: Caterpillar machines help complete construction of the Golden Gate Bridge.
1940s – Contribution and Change
1941: Caterpillar products support the Allies during World War II.
1944: Caterpillar machines help construct more than 70,000 miles of highways across the United States.
1945: Caterpillar introduces the first dozer blade designed and built by the company.
1948: Caterpillar machines help start construction of the Bhakra Dam in India.
1950s – Earthmoving and Becoming a Multinational Company
1950: Caterpillar forms its first overseas subsidiary, Caterpillar Tractor Co. Ltd. in England.
1950: Caterpillar introduces its first self-propelled wheel tractor-scraper.
1952: Caterpillar introduces its first integrated track loader.
1955: Caterpillar supplies the U.S. government with specially designed equipment for Operation Deep Freeze in Antarctica. This is the first time Caterpillar equipment is used on every continent.
1960s – Breakthroughs and Great Projects
1962: Caterpillar presents its first construction dump truck: the 769 Off-Highway Truck.
1962: Caterpillar machines help widen sections of the Panama Canal.
1969: Caterpillar engines power the Apollo 11 mission to the Moon.
1970s – Firsts and Sustainability
1972: Caterpillar launches its first hydraulic excavator: the 225.
1973: The first Caterpillar remanufacturing plant begins production in Bettendorf, Iowa.
1977: Caterpillar introduces the D10 track-type tractor.
1979: Caterpillar discontinues the use of its “Hi-Way Yellow” paint color and introduces a new one: “Caterpillar Yellow.”
1980s – New Opportunities
1981: Caterpillar acquires Solar Turbines.
1983: In Paraguay and Argentina, Caterpillar machines help build the Yacyreta dam.
1985: Caterpillar introduces its first backhoe loader: the 416.
1986: Caterpillar introduces the D11 Track-Type Tractor.
1990s – Continuing Industry Leadership
1994: Caterpillar machines work on the construction of the Kansai International Airport in Osaka, Japan.
1998: Caterpillar launches the world’s largest mechanically driven mining truck: the 797.
1998: Caterpillar launches a line of compact construction equipment.
1998: Caterpillar acquires Varity Perkins and renames the company Perkins Engines Company Limited in England.
2000s – Beyond the Yellow Iron
2001: Caterpillar introduces its ACERT® technology.
2006: Caterpillar acquires Progress Rail Services, Inc.
2008: Caterpillar introduces the first, one-of-a-kind electrically driven track-type tractor: the D7E.
2008: Caterpillar acquires Shandong SEM Machinery Co., Ltd. in China.
2010s – Rail, Mining, and Beyond
2010: Caterpillar acquires Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc.
2011: Caterpillar acquires Bucyrus International, Inc. and MWM GmbH.
2017: Jim Umpleby is appointed CEO and assumes Chairman of the Board in 2018.
2018: Caterpillar introduces the world’s first high drive electric drive dozer – the Cat® D6 XE.
2020s – History is Still Being Made
2021: Caterpillar releases its first diversity and inclusion report, “The Power of Everyone – Building a Better World.”
2022: Caterpillar announces a successful demonstration of its first battery electric 793 large mining truck.
Featured from our Heritage Collection
Each week we open our vault to share stories of our people and products over the last 95+ years. Check out our most recent features here, or view the collection.
