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76-657: The L-Series was produced in Louisville, Kentucky alongside medium-duty F-Series trucks; at various times, it was also produced alongside the C-Series COE (and the CF-series Cargo that replaced it). For its second generation introduced in 1996, the Ford Louisville nickname became the official name for the model line. Sold primarily as a semitractor, the aerodynamically enhanced Ford Aeromax served as

152-733: A Caterpillar V175 standard, the 7000 had a V200 and the 8000 had a V225 available. The 9000 series had a Cummins NH230 standard, Cummins N-series with up to 350 hp (261 kW) and Caterpillar 3406 series up to 375 hp (280 kW) were optional. 1973 engines (not all are shown.) For 1996, the Ford heavy-truck lines were redesigned, the second-generation heavy-truck line was nearly exclusively for Class 8 weight ranges. Chassis weights were increased, front axle GAWRs were available up to 20,000 lb (9,100 kg), single rear axles to 23,000 lb (10,000 kg) as before, and tandem rear axles to 46,000 lb (21,000 kg). On tandems

228-555: A continuation of the Ford L-Series after Freightliner's purchase of Ford's heavy truck product lines and the Louisville production facility. With bodies added by third-party upfitters/body builders, these cab/chassis vehicles were used for freight distribution as well as heavy vocational uses, such as construction, snow plowing and refuse collection. In the last few years of operation, the company also marketed light to medium-duty cab/chassis vehicles from corporate siblings, such as

304-513: A dedicated facility in Louisville for commercial truck production. In 1969, the facility opened, with Louisville Assembly moving entirely to cars (later joined by light trucks). Coinciding with the construction of the assembly facility, Ford sought to consolidate the N-Series and the heavy F-Series into a single, all-new product line. With the "L" in L-Series denoting its Louisville origins,

380-565: A flagship model for both generations. After the 1996 sale of the Ford heavy-truck line to Freightliner, the production of the second-generation L-Series was transferred from Ford to Freightliner during 1998. The model line continued under the Sterling Trucks nameplate, lasting through 2009.   Following the 1957 introduction of the C-series low-cab COE, Ford began to transition its heavy-truck lineup away from models derived from

456-473: A line of clothing and workwear boots under its Cat / Caterpillar name. Additionally, the company licensed the Cat phone brand of toughened mobile phones and rugged smartphones from 2012 to 2024. Caterpillar machinery and other company-branded products are recognizable by their trademark "Caterpillar Yellow" livery and the "CAT" logo. The company traces its roots to the steam tractor machines manufactured by

532-429: A list of some 400 products for purchase through its dealer network. Caterpillar's line of machines range from tracked tractors to hydraulic excavators , backhoe loaders , motor graders , off-highway trucks, wheel loaders , agricultural tractors , and locomotives. Caterpillar machinery is used in the construction, road-building , mining, forestry , energy, transportation, and material-handling industries. Caterpillar

608-523: A long-defunct truck manufacturer, Sterling was slotted between Freightliner and Western Star within the Daimler product range (later Daimler Trucks North America ). Introduced as a rebadged version of Ford Louisville/Aeromax product line, the Sterling product range was expanded in the 2000s with medium-duty (Class 5–7) trucks. After years of struggling to meet sales expectations, Daimler discontinued

684-431: A number of contractual , trademark , and patent infringement lawsuits. Harry H. Fair of the bond brokerage house of Pierce, Fair & Company of San Francisco had helped to finance C. L. Best's debt and Holt shareholders approached him about their company's financial difficulty. Fair recommended that the two companies should merge. In April and May 1925, the financially stronger C. L. Best merged with

760-828: A plan to discontinue the Sterling product line in an effort to consolidate its North American truck manufacturing operations under the Freightliner and Western Star brands. The company stopped taking orders for new trucks in January 2009, the St. Thomas manufacturing plant closed in March 2009, and the Portland, Oregon, plant was closed in June 2010. From 1997 to 2009, Sterling produced several lines of trucks. Within Daimler-Benz,

836-509: A range of applications where the operator of the machine benefits from having accurate horizontal and vertical guidance. CTCT is based in Dayton, Ohio , and started its operations on April 1, 2002. Caterpillar introduced the Challenger range of agricultural tractors as the result of several development programs over a long period of time. The program started in the 1970s and involved both

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912-604: A response to the aerodynamic Kenworth T600 , for 1988, Ford introduced its own aerodynamic semitractor. Named AeroMax L9000, the new design was an extensive upgrade of the L-9000. While sharing the same cab of the medium hood LS-9000, the Aeromax used a set-back front axle to add a form-fitting front bumper with swept front fenders. For the first time in a North American truck, automotive-style composite headlights were used. Other aerodynamic enhancements included skirted fuel tanks and

988-458: A set of wooden tracks bolted to chains. On Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 1904, he successfully tested the updated machine plowing the soggy delta land of Roberts Island . Contemporaneously, Richard Hornsby & Sons in Grantham, Lincolnshire, England, developed a steel plate-tracked vehicle, which it patented in 1904. This tractor was the first to be steered using differential braking of

1064-653: A set-back front axle configuration. For the rest of the 1970s, the L-series saw few major changes. In 1976, the LL/LTL-9000 was introduced. Designed as a truck for long-haul drivers, the LTL-9000 was a competitor to the GMC General , Kenworth W900 , Mack Super-Liner , and Peterbilt 359. Fitted with a set-forward front axle and a longer hood, this version had more room for larger powertrains. In 1981, Ford gave

1140-659: A specially designed "Aero Bullet" sleeper unit. The Aeromax L9000 was one of the most aerodynamic trucks in North America upon its introduction in 1988. Following its introduction as a semitractor, the AeroMax line expanded into the vocational truck lineup alongside the rest of the Ford L series. A later LA-8000 was introduced for "Baby 8" intra-city delivery. 1992 saw the introduction of the extended hood, set-back front axle Aeromaxes, designated LLA and LTLA-9000. These featured optional full-length chassis skirting, along with

1216-483: A track frame measured 30 inches (760 mm) high by 42 inches (1,100 mm) wide and were 9 feet (2.7 m) long. The tracks were 3 inches (76 mm) by 4 inches (100 mm) redwood slats. Holt received the first patent for a practical continuous track for use with a tractor on December 7, 1907, for his improved "Traction Engine" ("improvement in vehicles, and especially of the traction engine class; and included endless traveling platform supports upon which

1292-432: A tractor 46 feet (14 m) wide, but this also made the tractors increasingly complex, expensive, and difficult to maintain. Another solution considered was to lay a temporary plank road ahead of the steam tractor, but this was time-consuming, expensive, and interfered with earthmoving. Holt thought of wrapping the planks around the wheels. He replaced the wheels on a 40 horsepower (30 kW) Holt steamer, No. 77, with

1368-410: A walking beam type was standard and 2 different air suspensions were available. In the redesign, both the Aeromax and Louisville gained a wider cab with a sloping windshield. Although Aeromax models would lose their composite headlights, it gained a much larger slope to the hood. To aid ergonomics, the Aeromax and Louisville would borrow many interior controls from other Ford vehicles. Another redesign

1444-747: Is the world's largest manufacturer of construction equipment. In 2018, Caterpillar was ranked number 73 on the Fortune 500 list and number 265 on the Global Fortune 500 list. Caterpillar stock is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average . Caterpillar Inc. traces its origins to the 1925 merger of the Holt Manufacturing Company and the C. L. Best Tractor Company, creating a new entity, California-based Caterpillar Tractor Company. In 1986,

1520-588: Is the world's largest manufacturer of wheel loaders. The small size wheel loaders (SWL) are designed and manufactured at facilities in Clayton, North Carolina . The medium size (MWL) and large size (LWL) are designed at their Aurora, Illinois facility. Medium wheel loaders are manufactured at: Aurora, Illinois ; Sagamihara, Kanagawa , Japan; Piracicaba , São Paulo, Brazil; India ; and the People's Republic of China . Large wheel loaders are manufactured exclusively in

1596-593: The 2 Ton , 5 Ton , and 10 Ton from the Holt Manufacturing Company's old product line and the Caterpillar 30 and Caterpillar 60 from the C. L. Best Tractor Co.'s former product line. The 10 Ton and 5 Ton models were discontinued in 1926. In 1928, the 2 Ton was discontinued. Sales the first year were US$ 13 million. By 1929, sales climbed to US$ 52.8 million, and Caterpillar continued to grow throughout

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1672-692: The Great Depression of the 1930s. Caterpillar adopted the diesel engine to replace gasoline engines. During World War II , Caterpillar products found fame with the Seabees , construction battalions of the United States Navy , which built airfields and other facilities in the Pacific Theater of Operations . Caterpillar ranked 44th among United States corporations in the value of wartime military production contracts. During

1748-564: The IDF Caterpillar D9 was involved in an incident in 2003, in which the American activist Rachel Corrie was killed by an Israeli soldier driving a bulldozer to demolish Gaza homes. A lawsuit against Caterpillar by her family and families of Palestinians, who were also killed by Caterpillar equipment, was unsuccessful. A lawsuit against Israel and Israeli Defense Ministry was rejected by an Israeli court, ruling that her death

1824-435: The 360 (a rebadged Mitsubishi Fuso Canter ) and Bullet (a badge-engineered Dodge Ram Chassis Cab). These were typically outfitted with bodies suitable for use as lighter vocational trucks — those designed to perform jobs other than straight freight hauling — including fire trucks , garbage trucks , dump trucks , concrete mixers , tanker trucks , and snowplows . On October 14, 2008, Daimler Trucks North America announced

1900-1082: The Asian market. The first machine was scheduled for production in March 2009. URS Ausino, in San Francisco, California, manages facility construction. Caterpillar has manufactured in Brazil since 1960. In 2010 the company announced plans to further expand production of backhoe and small wheel loaders with a new factory. Caterpillar has been manufacturing machines, engines, and generator sets in India, as well. Caterpillar has three facilities in India, which are in Tamil Nadu (Thiruvallur and Hosur) and Maharastra (Aurangabad). In addition to increasing sales of its core products, much of Caterpillar's growth has been through acquisitions, including: 2 May 2013: "We continuously evaluate our strategic portfolio to ensure alignment with our long-term strategy and have concluded

1976-521: The British War Office ordered a Holt tractor and put it through trials at Aldershot . The War Office was suitably impressed and chose it as a gun tractor . Over the next four years, the Holt tractor became a major artillery tractor , mainly used to haul medium guns such as the 6-inch howitzer , the 60-pounder , and later the 9.2-inch howitzer. Holt tractors were also the inspiration for

2052-691: The C7 to use common rail fuel injectors and improved ACERT electronics. In 1998 Caterpillar purchased Perkins Engines of Peterborough, England, a maker of small diesel and gasoline engines. Perkins engines are used in various applications. Perkins engine products are dual branded with the Perkins nameplate for both loose and OEM engines, and the CAT nameplate for captive engines within Caterpillar products. In June 2008, Caterpillar announced it would be exiting

2128-706: The Caterpillar engines put the United States' submarine force at risk for cyberattack . In a 2015 interview on cybersecurity, the United States Navy clarified that Caterpillar actually has some of the most secure control systems. It will be used as a model of how the Navy will design cyber protections into its control systems. The Israel Defense Forces ' use of highly modified Caterpillar D9 bulldozers has led to Caterpillar being criticized by pro-Palestinian activists and some shareholders. In particular,

2204-476: The Challenger and CAT names and livery to them. This ended Cat's venture into agriculture. Caterpillar provides financing and insurance services to customers via Cat Financial and Caterpillar Insurance Services, both of which are subsidiaries of Caterpillar, Inc. Cat Financial provides retail and wholesale financing for Caterpillar products and services, in addition to other equipment provided or facilitated by

2280-714: The D6-based units and the Grader power units. A parallel program was also developing wheeled high hp tractors based on using the articulated loading shovel chassis was later merged with the crawler team. The result was the Challenger Tractor and the "Mobi-Trac" system. The Challenger has been marketed in Europe as Claas machines since 1997, with Caterpillar marketing the Claas-built Lexion combine range in

2356-643: The F-Series line. In 1961, the Super Duty F-Series (F-750 to F-1100) was redesigned with a heavier-duty chassis, sharing only its cab with smaller F-Series trucks. The same year, Ford introduced the H-Series heavy truck. Derived from the C-Series, the H-Series mounted the cab higher on an all-new chassis with a forward-mounted axle (taking on the "Two-Story Falcon" nickname); while a Super Duty V8

Ford L series - Misplaced Pages Continue

2432-579: The H-Series, the N-Series derived its cab structure from the F-Series. In 1966, the H-Series "Two-Story Falcon" was replaced by the W-Series Class 8 COE. A clean-sheet design (distinguished by its straight-edged design), the W-Series was offered solely with diesel engines; to save weight, an all-aluminum cab was offered as an option (alongside the standard steel cab) At the end of the 1960s, Ford began construction of Kentucky Truck Assembly, adding

2508-525: The Holt Manufacturing Company in 1890. The steam tractors of the 1890s and early 1900s were extremely heavy, sometimes weighing 1,000 pounds (450 kg) per horsepower , and often sank into the earth of the San Joaquin Valley Delta farmland surrounding Stockton, California . Benjamin Holt attempted to fix the problem by increasing the size and width of the wheels up to 7.5 feet (2.3 m) tall and 6 feet (1.8 m) wide, producing

2584-475: The Israeli army, among them Caterpillar. The Caterpillar Electronics business unit has formed Caterpillar Trimble Control Technologies LLC (CTCT), a 50:50 joint venture with Trimble Inc . CTCT develops positioning and control products for earthmoving and paving machines in the construction and mining industries, using technologies such as GNSS, optical total stations, lasers, and sonics. The products are used in

2660-542: The L-series changed its grille design from an egg-crate design to that of horizontal chrome bars; the Ford Blue Oval became centered. In addition, rectangular headlights became standard in 1991. 1992 saw the introduction of the set-back front axle version of the LL/LTL-9000, designated the LLS and LTLS-9000, along with the corresponding Aeromax versions that had more aerodynamic bumpers and optional chassis skirting. As

2736-491: The L-series nomenclature and adopt the Louisville nameplate officially. 1996 models The second generation didn't offer gasoline or diesel V8s, all engines were inline 6 turbocharged diesels. The Caterpillar 3406 and Cummins N14 (the evolution of the NTC series) continued as heavy duty engines in the 9000 models. 1996 engines (Not all are shown) At the end of 1996, Ford completed the sale of its heavy-truck operations, selling

2812-523: The LL/LTL-9000 its own grille and headlight styling, including one of the first uses of the Ford Blue Oval in North America. Although the L-series would see few revisions throughout its production, elements of its design would see use in other Ford vehicles. In 1974, the W-series cabover received a larger grille similar to the chrome version on the L series. For 1978, the F-series/Bronco grille

2888-486: The LTL-9000 was only sold with a diesel engine. 1973–1977 Models Almost all models had at least one engine option, the 9000 series had several. The 600–800 series had a Ford 330,361,389 V8 standard, 700–900 had a 477 or 534 V8 optional. The 900 series had a 401 V8 standard. In 1979 the 361,389 V8 was replaced by a 370, and the 401 V8 was replaced by a 429; the 477,534 V8 remained an option. Detroit 6-71, 6-92, 8-71 and 8-92 were an option also. The 7000 and 8000 series had

2964-484: The North American division of Volvo Trucks ). As the Sterling trademark had become dormant for so long, when Freightliner (whose own trucks were distributed by White Motor Company from the 1950s to 1975) sought to use the name in 1997, there were no grounds for objection from Volvo. The Sterling was applied by Freightliner to Class 8 tractors, as well as a range of medium- and heavy-duty cab/chassis vehicles as

3040-782: The Sterling Trucks line in 2009. Headquartered in Redford Township, Michigan ( Detroit ), Sterling assembled its conventional-cab vehicles in St. Thomas, Ontario and Portland, Oregon. Sterling-brand trucks were sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand. The original company was founded in 1906 by William Sternberg as the Sternberg Motor Truck Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Early models offered were of cab-over design, in 1-, 1.5- 3.5- and 5-ton capacities. Sternberg changed

3116-504: The Sterling product range was slotted between the Freightliner and Western Star product lines. Through much of its existence, the Sterling product range served as continuation of the second-generation Ford Louisville/AeroMax conventional product line (introduced in 1996). Caterpillar Inc. Caterpillar Inc. , also known as Cat , is an American construction, mining and other engineering equipment manufacturer. The company

Ford L series - Misplaced Pages Continue

3192-679: The UK's Titan armored bridge layer , Trojan combat engineering tank , Terrier combat engineering vehicles , and tank transporters ; the Romanian MLI-84 armored personnel carrier ; and the Swiss Piranha III light armored vehicle , which is currently being developed for use by American light armored formations; large fleets of military trucks in both the U.S. and UK; and the CV90 family of infantry fighting vehicles used by

3268-552: The USA. Claas and Caterpillar formed a joint venture, Claas Omaha , to build combine harvesters in Omaha, Nebraska, USA under the CAT brand. In 2002, Cat sold its stake to Claas, and licensed the use of CAT and the CAT yellow livery to Claas. They are marketed as Lexion combines now. Also in 2002, Caterpillar sold the Challenger tracked tractor business to AGCO and licensed the use of

3344-532: The United States on three separate assembly lines at Aurora, Illinois. Caterpillar began selling a line of on-road trucks in 2011, the Cat CT660 , a Class 8 vocational truck . As of March 2016, Caterpillar has ceased production of on-highway vocational trucks stating that “Remaining a viable competitor in this market would require significant additional investment to develop and launch a complete portfolio of trucks, and upon an updated review, we determined there

3420-821: The armies of Sweden, Norway, Finland, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Denmark. This division also provides both propulsion engines and power generation systems to the naval shipbuilding industry , such as the Series 3512B turbocharged V-12 diesel engine for American Virginia -class nuclear submarines . Caterpillar diesel engines are also used in San Antonio -class amphibious transport docks , Spanish Álvaro de Bazán -class frigates , British River-class offshore patrol vessels , Mexican Sierra -class patrol boats, and Malaysian Kedah -class MEKO A-100 offshore patrol vessels. The poor network security of

3496-524: The company announced plans to move its global headquarters from Deerfield, Illinois, to Irving, Texas , beginning later in the year, citing "the best strategic interest of the company." The first tanks used in WWI were manufactured by William Foster & Co. , also in Lincolnshire, England, and were introduced to the battlefield in 1916. That company had collaborated with Hornsby in the development of

3572-435: The company employed 625 people and was exporting tractors to Argentina, Canada, and Mexico. Tractors were built in both Stockton and East Peoria. On January 31, 2017, the company announced plans to move their headquarters from Peoria to Deerfield, Illinois , by the end of 2017. The new location at 500 Lake Cook Road is the former site of a Fiatallis plant that manufactured wheel loaders for many years. On June 14, 2022,

3648-489: The company name to Sterling at the onset of World War I. Sterling built many different heavy-duty trucks for commercial, construction and military customers in the ensuing years. The company was bought by White Motor Company on June 1, 1951. About two years later, the Sterling nameplate was retired. Following its last use in 1953, the trademark of Sterling would change hands several times, through White Motor Company and its successor Volvo-White Motor Company (itself becoming

3724-501: The company reorganized itself as a Delaware corporation under the current name, Caterpillar Inc. It announced in January 2017 that over the course of that year, it would relocate its headquarters from Peoria, Illinois, to Deerfield, Illinois , scrapping plans from 2015 of building an $ 800 million new headquarters complex in downtown Peoria. Its headquarters are located in Irving, Texas , since 2022. The company also licenses and markets

3800-458: The company's own vehicles, are used as the prime movers in locomotives , semi trucks , marine vessels, and ships, as well as providing the power source for peak-load power plants and emergency generators . Caterpillar 3116 engine was used up until 1997, when Caterpillar introduced the inline 6 cylinder 7.2 litre Caterpillar 3126 engine as its first electronic diesel engine for light trucks and buses. Caterpillar decreased emissions and noise

3876-517: The development of the British tank , which profoundly altered ground warfare tactics. Major Ernest Swinton , sent to France as an army war correspondent , very soon saw the potential of a track-laying tractor. Although the British later chose an English firm to build its first tanks, the Holt tractor became "one of the most important military vehicles of all time." Holt tractors had become well known during World War I . Military contracts formed

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3952-575: The engine is carried"). On February 2, 1910, Holt opened up a plant in East Peoria , Illinois, led by his nephew Pliny Holt. There, Pliny met farm implement dealer Murray Baker , who knew of an empty factory that had been recently built to manufacture farm implements and steam traction engines . Baker, who later became the first executive vice president of what became Caterpillar Tractor Company, wrote to Holt headquarters in Stockton and described

4028-479: The large tractors from the company's product line and introduced smaller models focused on the agricultural market. When the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1921 funded a US$ 1 billion federal highway building program, Baxter began refocusing the company towards building road-construction equipment. Both companies also faced fierce competition from the Fordson company. Between 1907 and 1918, Best and Holt had spent about US$ 1.5 million in legal fees fighting each other in

4104-415: The major part of the company's production. When the war ended, Holt's planned expansion to meet the military's needs was abruptly terminated. The heavy-duty tractors needed by the military were unsuitable for farmers. The company's situation worsened when artillery tractors were returned from Europe, depressing prices for new equipment and Holt's unsold inventory of military tractors. The company struggled with

4180-436: The market leader Holt Caterpillar to form the Caterpillar Tractor Co. The new company was headquartered in San Leandro until 1930, when under the terms of the merger, it was moved to Peoria. Baxter had been removed as CEO earlier in 1925, and Clarence Leo Best assumed the title of CEO, and remained in that role until October 1951. The Caterpillar company consolidated its product lines, offering only five track-type tractors:

4256-426: The new product line featured a larger cab, adding the front-hinged hood adopted by the Mack R-series, Kenworth W900, and Peterbilt 352. For 1970, the L-series was introduced in four size ranges, two hood lengths and grille styles, and with single or tandem (denoted by the "T" in the model designation) rear axles. Powertrains included a wide range of gasoline and diesel engines, based on GVWR. In 1971, Ford introduced

4332-625: The next year in the 3126B version of the engine, and improved emissions further in 2002 with the 3126E which had an improved high-pressure oil pump and improved electronics. In 2003 Caterpillar started selling a new version of this engine called the C-7 to meet increased United States emission standards that came into effect in 2004; it had the same overall design as the 3126 version, but with improved fuel injectors and electronics which included its new Advanced Combustion Emissions Reduction Technology (ACERT) system. In 2007, as ultra-low-sulfur diesel became required in North America, Caterpillar updated

4408-573: The on-highway diesel engine market in the United States before updated 2010 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) emission standards took effect, as costly changes to the engines, which only constituted a small percentage of Caterpillar's total engine sales, would be likely. In October 2010, Caterpillar announced it would buy German engine-manufacturer MWM GmbH from 3i for $ 810 million. The Caterpillar Defence Products subsidiary, headquartered in Shrewsbury , United Kingdom, provides diesel engines, automatic transmissions, and other parts for

4484-451: The plant of the bankrupt Colean Manufacturing Co. of East Peoria. On October 25, 1909, Pliny Holt purchased the factory, and immediately began operations with 12 employees. Holt incorporated it as the Holt Caterpillar Company, although he did not trademark the name Caterpillar until August 2, 1910. The addition of a plant in the Midwest , despite the hefty capital needed to retool the plant, proved so profitable that only two years later,

4560-410: The postwar construction boom, the company grew at a rapid pace, and launched its first venture outside the U.S. in 1950, marking the beginning of Caterpillar's development into a multinational corporation . In 2018, Caterpillar was in the process of restructuring, closing a demonstration center in Panama and an engine-manufacturing facility in Illinois. Caterpillar built its first Russian facility in

4636-502: The production of its new Best Model 60 "Tracklayer". Both companies were adversely impacted by the transition from a wartime to a peacetime economy, which contributed to a nationwide depression , further inhibiting sales. On December 5, 1920, 71-year-old Benjamin Holt died after a month-long illness. The banks and bankers who held the company's large debt forced the Holt board of directors to accept their candidate, Thomas A. Baxter, to succeed Benjamin Holt. Baxter initially cut

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4712-450: The rights and production tools of the Louisville, Aeromax, and Cargo to Freightliner . Ford would end production of the Louisville/Aeromax in 1998; the truck lines would re-enter production as Sterling Trucks from 1998 to 2009; both lines were produced concurrently by Ford and Freightliner during 1998. In 1998, Sterling began production in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada, of their L-Line 7500, 8500, 9500, and A-Line 9500. A Mercedes Benz diesel

4788-619: The same aero headlights and bumpers of the older medium hood LA series. The L-series came in a total of four size ranges, designated by GVWR. As with previous Ford heavy-truck tradition, gasoline-engine trucks received a three-digit model number while diesel-engine trucks were given a four-digit model number. L-600/L-6000 and L-700/L-7000 series were Class 6/7 medium-duty trucks, typically sold as straight trucks. L-800/L-8000 trucks were Class 8 trucks, typically sold in severe-service configurations. L-900/L-9000 chassis were available in all axle configurations, but were typically sold as semitractors;

4864-445: The town of Tosno , located near St. Petersburg, Russia . It was completed in 16 months, occupied in November 1999, and began fabricating machine components in 2000. It had the first electrical substation built in the Leningrad Oblast since the Communist government was dissolved on December 26, 1991. The facility was built under harsh winter conditions, where the temperature was below −13 °F (−25 °C). The facility construction

4940-416: The track rising and falling over the carrier rollers looked like a caterpillar , and Holt seized on the metaphor . "Caterpillar it is. That's the name for it!" Some sources, though, attribute this name to British soldiers who had witnessed trials of the Hornsby tractor in July 1907. Two years later, Holt sold his first steam-powered tractor crawlers for US$ 5,500, about US$ 185,000 in 2024. Each side featured

5016-451: The tracks, eliminating the forward tiller and steering wheel. Several tractors were made and sold to operate in the Yukon , one example of which was in operation until 1927, and remnants of it still exist. Hornsby found a limited market for their tractor, so they sold their patent to Holt five years after its development. Company photographer Charles Clements, looking at the machine's upside-down image through his camera lens, commented that

5092-503: The transition from wartime boom to peacetime bust. To keep the company afloat, they borrowed heavily. C. L. Best Gas Tractor Company, formed by Clarence Leo Best in 1910, and Holt's primary competitor, had during the war received government support, enabling it to supply farmers with the smaller agricultural tractors they needed. As a result, Best had gained a considerable market advantage over Holt by war's end. Best also assumed considerable debt to allow it to continue expansion, especially

5168-727: The tunneling business no longer fits that strategy," – Stu Levenick. Caterpillar Tunneling Canada Corporation (CTCC) have notified employees that it will exit the business and cease production at its facilities by mid-2014. Caterpillar occasionally divests assets that do not align with its core competencies. Through fiscal year 2010, Caterpillar divided its products, services, and technologies into three principal lines of business: machinery, engines, and financial products for sale to private and governmental entities. As of 2022, Caterpillar reports its financials using four business segments: construction industries, resource industries, energy & transportation, and financial products. Caterpillar has

5244-475: The vehicles demonstrated to the British military in 1907, providing the paraffin (kerosene) engines. Holt's track-type tractors played a support role in World War I. Even before the U.S. formally entered WWI, Holt had shipped 1,200 tractors to England, France, and Russia for agricultural purposes. These governments, however, sent the tractors directly to the battlefront, where the military put them to work hauling artillery and supplies. When World War I broke out,

5320-474: Was an accident, caused by restricted field of view from the heavily armored operators' cabin. In 2014 Presbyterian Church (USA) sold its shares in Caterpillar citing the use of Caterpillar bulldozers involved in demolitions of Palestinian houses and Israeli surveillance activities in the West Bank . In August 2024, San Francisco State University announced that, as part of a deal with student activists, it would divest from four companies that supply weapons for

5396-418: Was given a similar egg-crate grille pattern. In the 1980 redesign of the medium-duty F- series, the hexagonal shape of the grille was carried over; it is a theme used in all Super Duty trucks since their 1998 introduction. In 1984 (as 1985 model year), the rest of the L-series became one of the last North American Fords to adopt the Ford Blue Oval; as with the LTL-9000, it was placed above the grille. In 1988,

5472-475: Was introduced late in 2000, and a very low profile "CarHauler" model was developed, otherwise there was very little change between 1998 and 2008. Production ended in 2009. Sterling Trucks Sterling Trucks Corporation (commonly designated Sterling ) was an American truck manufacturer . Founded in 1998, Sterling was created following the 1997 acquisition of the heavy-truck product lines of Ford Motor Company by Freightliner . Taking its nameplate from

5548-762: Was managed by the Lemminkäinen Group in Helsinki, Finland . In May 2022, production at the Tosno plant was stopped. In November 2023, an agreement was reached on the sale of Caterpillar assets to the Russian company PSK - New Solutions, founded by people from Sberbank . Experts believe that the resumption of Caterpillar production is unlikely and the plant will be repurposed. The $ 125 million Caterpillar Suzhou, People's Republic of China facility, manufactures medium-wheel loaders and motor graders, primarily for

5624-575: Was not a sufficient market opportunity to justify the investment,” said Ramin Younessi, vice president with responsibility for Caterpillar's Industrial Power Systems Division. “We have not yet started truck production in Victoria, and this decision allows us to exit this business before the transition occurs.” A portion of Caterpillar's business is in the manufacturing of diesel and natural gas engines and gas turbines which, in addition to their use in

5700-399: Was standard, the optional Cummins NH inline-6 was the first factory-installed diesel offered in a Ford truck. For 1963, Ford introduced the N-Series, a short-hood conventional truck. Similar in concept to the 1948-1956 "cab-forward" C-Series, the all-new design moved the cab upward and forward (the latter, to shorten the overall length of the vehicle). Sharing much of its front bodywork with

5776-410: Was the grille bars, in the second generation the trucks that had extended frame bumpers knocked of the "middle" full painted piece off the grille. As was the case previously, the heavy truck line was split into aerodynamically optimized semitractors (the newly renamed Aeromax 9500) and vocational/severe-service trucks. In the case of the latter, the popularity of the Louisville nickname led Ford to drop

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