Lester M. Sears was the gentleman who believed it could be wise idea to adapt the farm tractor for use by industry more than 80 years ago. He made the "Model L," and although it could appear a bit obsolete at the moment, it was packed with new ideas. The equipment transformed and changed the materials handling industry.
The first truck that Lester provided innovations on has become the standard nowadays in the lift truck business. Some of these key features consist of: wheel drive, rear-wheel steering, hydraulic tilting and lifting and equal reverse and high-speed forward gears.
During the year 1965 the business was acquired by Caterpillar and Lester started "Towmotor" and after that started CAT Forklifts. With the same dedication to sensible solutions, commitment to new ideas and extraordinary reliability, CAT enjoys thinking that they are direct descendants of Lester's. The Model L was very effective and strong that the model worked hard for more than 30 years before finally retiring.
Caterpillar formed a joint venture during the year 1992 with MHI Ltd. or Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. They brought together financial and marketing strengths and technological strengths in the production of material handling machinery. The company has had their head office within Almere, the Netherlands since that time.
Presently, CAT Forklifts are among the best-built in the industry. These machines are available in diesel, LPG, electric counter balanced models and gasoline engines. The corporation also manufactures an entire line of warehouse equipment. The local CAT dealers are amongst the best within the industry and offer over 80 years of relevant experience.
The specially designed RTCH rough terrain vehicle could operate in as much as 5 feet of sea water. This specific unit could function on soft soil locations such as unprepared beaches. The RTCH could handle the 20 to 40 foot long and 8 foot wide containers.