Category Archives: Nostalgia

The History of Caterpillar Inc.

Posted by painttouchupandgo on

Having spent a couple of months repainting the majestic construction equipment, we decided to learn more about the company’s history.  We found this very interesting, hope you do to.

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It all started with two visionaries, a first-class engineering and manufacturing operation, and a commitment to quality, innovation and customer value. This is the history of Caterpillar Inc.

1890. Benjamin Holt and Daniel Best experimented with various forms of steam tractors for use in farming. They did so separately, with separate companies.

1904. Holt’s first steam track-type tractor.

1906. Holt’s first gas track-type tractor.

1915. Holt “Caterpillar®” track-type tractors are used by the Allies in World War I.

1925. The Holt Manufacturing Company and the C. L. Best Tractor Co. merge to form Caterpillar Tractor Co.

1931. The first Diesel Sixty Tractor rolled off the assembly line in East Peoria, Illinois, with a new efficient source of power for track-type tractors.

1940. The Caterpillar product line now included motor graders, blade graders, elevating graders, terracers and electrical generating sets.

1942. Caterpillar track-type tractors, motor graders, generators sets and a special engine for the M4 tank are used by the United States in its war effort.

1950. Caterpillar Tractor Co. Ltd. in Great Britain is established, the first of many overseas operations created to help manage foreign exchange shortages, tariffs, import controls and better serve customers around the world.

1953. In 1931, the company created a separate engine sales group to market diesel engines to other equipment manufacturers. This group was replaced in 1953 with a separate sales and marketing division to better serve the needs of a broad range of engine customers. Engine sales now account for approximately one-third of the company’s total sales and revenues.

1963. Caterpillar and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. form one of the first joint ventures in Japan to include partial U.S. ownership. Caterpillar Mitsubishi Ltd. started production in 1965, has been renamed Shin Caterpillar Mitsubishi Ltd., and is now the No. 2 maker of construction and mining equipment in Japan.

1981-83. The worldwide recession took its toll on Caterpillar, costing the company the equivalent of $1 million a day and forcing it to dramatically reduce employment.

1983. Caterpillar Leasing Company is expanded to offer equipment financing options to its customers worldwide and is renamed Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation.

1985-present. The product line continued to diversify to meet a variety of customer needs. More than 300 products are now offered, more than double the figure in 1981.

1986. The Caterpillar Tractor Co. changes its name to Caterpillar Inc. – a more accurate reflection of the enterprise’s growing diversity.

1987. A $1.8 billion plant modernization program was launched to streamline the manufacturing process.

1990. The company decentralized its structure, reorganizing into business units responsible for return on assets and customer satisfaction.

1997. The company continued to expand, acquiring the U.K.-based Perkins Engines. With the addition of Germany’s MaK Motoren the previous year, Caterpillar becomes the world leader in diesel engine manufacturing.

1998. The world’s largest off-highway truck – the 797 – makes its debut at the Cat Proving Ground in Arizona.

1999. Caterpillar unveils new line of compact construction equipment at CONEXPO, world’s largest construction show, in response to changing customer needs for smaller, more versatile construction equipment.

2000. Caterpillar celebrates its 75th anniversary.

2001. Caterpillar is the first company to globally launch 6 Sigma and deliver first-year benefits in excess of implementation costs.

2003. Caterpillar becomes the first engine manufacturer to offer a complete line of 2004 model year clean diesel engines fully compliant and certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Caterpillar’s breakthrough emissions control technology, known as ACERT®, is designed to comply with EPA standards without sacrificing performance, reliability or fuel efficiency.

2005. Demonstrating a pledge to sustainable development, Caterpillar responded to a number of tragedies around the world, including the Asian Tsunami disaster, hurricanes along the U.S. Gulf Coast and earthquakes in South Asia. In the face of each of these challenges, employees, dealers and corporate leaders alike joined together to build a promise of hope and growth for all those affected by donating machinery, money and resources for relief and recovery efforts.

2006. Benjamin Holt, one of Caterpillar Inc.’s founding fathers and designer of the first track-type tractor was recognized for his ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit with an induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

2006. Caterpillar Inc. subsidiary Caterpillar Logistics Services, Inc. (Cat Logistics) opens a new parts distribution center in the Lingang Industrial Area in Shanghai.

2006. Caterpillar launched a revised and updated Worldwide Code of Conduct and Enterprise Strategy. Serving new markets and new customers in new ways, Caterpillar welcomed the opportunity to experience unchartered growth across all business ventures.

 

Source: http://middleeast-africa.cat.com/cda/layout?m=403597&x=7

Hot Wheels

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Hot Wheels
Nick Exposed
May 21, 2012
Automotive, Canon EOS Rebel t1i, Daily Photo, HDR, Street

ISO100 25mm f/8 2sec

Given this months community project theme is Long Exposures, I figured Id edit another photo from this weekends “car show”.

When it comes to late night lengthy exposures I tend to lean towards the HDR side, so that I have the flexibility of bringing in as much detail as I feel necessary. Once again I went with an over processed car for this image, different from what I usually do, being when I originally seen this car I immediately thought of the Hot Wheels cars I had as a kid, and wanted to bring the look and feel of that childhood memory out in this pic.

I decided in this instance I would leave a bit of the effect from the long shutter to emphasize the exposure time, for example the ghosted person in the background as well as the light streaks off to the left. If I would have thought of it at the time, I would have liked to capture a scene with some people making their way around the car admiring its beauty.

I always love playing with these late night hdr photos, they can be a good amount of fun to see come together. Its incredible how much detail can be captured due to the lengthy exposures.

I look forward to continuing to dive into the subject of Long Exposures with all of you who are joining in on this months Collab Fun!!

 http://nickexposed.com/hot-wheels/

http://nickexposed.com/hot-wheels/

Hooniverse Asks- Who is the World’s Greatest Automotive Artist?

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There’s no doubt that customizing cars – whether something as simple as a belt line stripe, or as complex as metalwork – is an art form. And like any medium, automotive art has its patrons. Also, like most art forms, automotive artists have been known to be – to put it judiciously – eclectic on the whole. That being said, I’m more interested in which one you think is the most gifted when it comes to their art, not who you’d least like to have set up camp next door.

One of those whose reputation has been immortalized long after his passing is Kenny Howard, alternately known as Joe Lunch Box, or to the vast majority of hipsters born after his 1992 death, as Von Dutch. Actually scratch that, most of the people wearing Von Dutch clothes probably have no clue who Howard was, or could pick out his flaming eye or pinstriped rabbit from a lineup.

They’d be even less familiar with Dean Jeffries, George Barris or Ed (Big-Copy) Roth. But they hell with them, they’re also not likely to be here reading this, and those of you who are know not only that bunch of car customizers but probably a hundred more who have taken horse hair to fender or have formed fabulousness out of fiberglass. Of all those automotive artists, which one do you think was the world’s greatest?

 

Image: [insideline]

 

Here’s To The Future Goodbye Old Here’s New – Travelling In Style

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Well, things have change.  Even small, travelling is in style.  This brought to you courtesy of  Car Fiche http://www.carfiche.com/2012/03/07/things-to-bring-with-you-on-a-road-trip/

Travelling In the Early Days

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We have people who have told us about their early travels.  With 30 plus experience in this business, we actually remember.  When we say “we”, we speak to at least three of us.  Storage was not as accommodating as it is today.  One of us remembers a father packing up for a wife, four young girls, and an aunt to travel across the country in a station wagon.  Not much room for comfort, no videos, no Smartphones, not much for any luxury, other than singing songs you knew, a tape player that had batteries, and long hours of scenery and stopping off at tourist spots.  How times change.

This picture is nothing like what some of the roofs of travelling cars looked like.  Trust us.

To the younger generation, be thankful.  To the older, be thankful for the memories and the gratefulness we have that we don’t have to tie up (no bungy cords then) to the roof all the luggage we used to have to carry. 🙂