is a well-established, globally recognized company that is known for its manufacturing of heavy machinery and of late, its' efforts in sustainability. Caterpillar is an American company headquartered in Illinois (100 N. E. Adams St.; Peoria, IL 61629), but is the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, and industrial gas turbines. Caterpillar's history goes all the way back to the late nineteenth century. Two men, named Benjamin Holt and Daniel Best, were in the business of making steam tractors for farming to replace horse drawn harvesting machines. In 1905, a photographer, Charles Clements, was observing a new type of Holt machine that had new form of propulsion, gas, and moved on a never-seen-before track-like wheels (see figure 1). Clements exclaimed over this new tractor saying "if that don't look like a monster caterpillar " (History of Caterpillar Inc.). .
Holt agreed and the name stuck. Holt adopted the trademark "Caterpillar " and it was registered with the U.S. patent office in 1910. Holt and Best continued to be pioneers in the gas-powered tractor and tractor engine fields. By 1914, these tractors were already getting global exposure. Before the official entry of the U.S. in WWI, Holt shipped 1,200 tractors to England, France, and Russia for agricultural purposes. These governments however, used them for militia purposes; using them to haul artillery and supplies. Upon the entry of the U.S. into the war, Holt was commissioned to manufacture over 5,000 of his tractors for the U.S. and allied governments. On April 15th, 1925, Caterpillar Tractor Co. was officially born when Holt's company, Holt Manufacturing Company, merged with Best's company, CL Best Tractor Company. In 1931, Caterpillar made some waves in the farm tractor industry. At that time, diesel engines were primarily used just for huge marine and stationary engines. Caterpillar introduced the first diesel powered tractor in the U.
