The Caterpillar Tractor Company was created in San Leandro, California in 1925 when the Holt Manufacturing Company and the CL Best Tractor Company merged. (The move to Holt’s home in Peoria came in 1930.)
The celebrate Cat’s centenary the Antique Caterpillar Machinery Owners Club, ACMOC, took a display of 66 Cat machines to TractorFest UK, an exhibition of vintage tractors and machinery held each year at Newby Hall in Ripon, Yorkshire.
Founded in 1991, ACMOC has thousands of members from around the world and many members of its UK chapter brought their heritage Cat machines along to the weekend's exhibition.
Alongside the heritage machines from ACMOC, Caterpillar distributor Finning supplied a D6 bulldozer, a 966 wheel loader and a mini hydraulic excavator, as well as providing support equipment for the event.
Scott Girvan, service team leader at Finning’s Boldon branch in the northeast, and a member of ACMOC, said: “Like all members of ACMOC, I have a huge passion for Cat machines – old and new. As this year marks the centenary of Caterpillar, the team at Finning were keen to help ACMOC create an exhibition stand that was a fitting tribute to the past 100 years.
“Alongside a range of heritage machines, including my own Cat D2 dozer, Cat D4 dozer and Cat model Twenty-Two tractor, the team from the Leeds branch at Finning provided several modern machines that represent the very best of Cat machinery, both past and present.
“As a surprise addition to the stand, Caterpillar’s Desford facility provided two stunning centennial grey machines, which were revealed with much anticipation, as these machines are limited edition, made to mark this important landmark year.
“In particular, visitors to the stand enjoyed the opportunity to see up-close how the machines have evolved over the past 100 years, and there were many lively discussions about the part Caterpillar has played in people’s businesses and lives throughout its history.”
ACMOC international director John Gaunt added: “Caterpillar, from its inception 100 years ago, has played a major role in shaping and developing the world as we know it. It is truly remarkable that so many examples of early machines have survived, and it is a great testament to Caterpillar engineering.
“We were most grateful to Finning for supporting Caterpillar enthusiasts at Newby Hall, and for adding a sense of celebration with the centennial machines – a special occasion for our organisation, Finning and all who visited TractorFest this year.”
Actually, there are at least two TractorFests in the UK each year. TractorFest UK at Newby Hall () has been running since 2007. Biddenden Tractorfest in Kent () has been running since 2013 and next takes place on Saturday 16th & Sunday 17th August 2025.
