Caterpillar

• About

Caterpillar is a global manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, industrial turbines, engines, and diesel-electric locomotives. Formed from the merger of two competitors in 1925, the company's roots lie in California's agricultural heartland in the fertile San Joaquin valley. The name stems from one of the founders' inventions, which replaced a steam tractor's rear wheels with a track system that observers likened to a caterpillar as the machine crawled across soggy terrain. Now based in Irving, Texas, the company has seen its bright yellow machines become a familiar sight on construction sites throughout the world, while its more than 100,000 employees develop products for industries ranging from oil and gas drilling and power generation to marine and rail technology.