Kenworth
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Since 1945, Kenworth has been a division of Paccar, which itself is a multinational technology company manufacturing commercial vehicles sold around the world.
Paccar is a publicly traded company responsible for the Kenworth, Peterbilt, and DAF brands. Paccar is currently ranked No. 141 on the 2007 Fortune 500 list and No. 7 amongst motor vehicle and parts manufacturers. Its 2006 annual revenue is listed at US$16.5 billion.[1] Its head offices are in Bellevue, Washington, USA; Kenworth's headquarters are in Kirkland, Washington.
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[edit] History
[edit] The Gerlinger Motor Car Co. Days
Kenworth was officially established in 1923, named after the company's two principle stockholders: Harry Kent and Edgar Worthington. However, neither was part of the company's formal beginnings.
In fact, Kenworth's history dates back to an automobile repair shop in the beginning of the 20th century, the Gerlinger Motor Car Co. It was the tenant in a Worthington-owned building and specialized in repairing cars and trucks. When the shop was not busy, which was quite often, its employees were designing a new type of truck. This new vehicle took the mechanics a year to finish. It was a success, but not enough to save the shop from a lack of business.
Landlord Edgar Worthington had taken a great interest in the Gerlinger shop and in 1917, he and his business partner Captain Frederick Kent bought the struggling business and renamed it Gersix Motor Co., after the shop's new truck. Two years later Frederick retired and his son Harry inherited his share of the company. Initial Gersix sales were positive, but further capital was needed to take the business to the next level. They decided to reincorporate the company under the Kenworth name in 1923.
[edit] Kenworth is Born and Succeeds Through Customization
Kenworth Motor Truck Co. built its name on custom-built, made-to-order trucks. Salesmen were promoting the Kenworth name instead of specific vehicles, so mechanics were required to manufacture each vehicle to customer specifications. By today's standards this could prove quite costly, but it created Kenworth's success. Production grew rapidly: in 1924 Kenworth manufactured 80 trucks, in 1925 it produced two per week, and by 1927, three per week.
When the Great Depression hit two years later, Kenworth was forced to find a new market. It began producing custom-built fire trucks and Kenworth's experience building made-to-order vehicles kept the orders coming.
In 1933, Kenworth was the first American truck manufacturer to install diesel engines into their vehicles.[2] That same year, it developed the first sleeper cab truck.
The Motor Carrier Act, introduced in 1935, said vehicles must adhere to stricter weight and size restrictions. As a result, Kenworth developed a whole new line of aluminum components. In 1936, it introduced the "bubble-nose" truck, on which the cab was built over the engine to maximize the amount of cargo the vehicle could carry.
With U.S. involvement in World War II, Kenworth again moved in a new direction and production continued to increase. The American military required heavy-duty M-1 "Wreckers". These M-1s were equipped with cranes, winches, and cutting and welding equipment. The company even became involved in constructing parts for Boeing B-17s and B-29s. And, since demand was so high for these vehicles, Kenworth began instituting streamlined factories with moving production lines.
In 1944, current company president Phil Johnson died, leaving control to his, Kent's, and Frederick Fisher's (former company director) widows. With little interest in running the company themselves the widows sold their shares to Pacific Car and Foundry.
[edit] Kenworth Becomes a Paccar Subsidiary
The new owners, Pacific Car and Foundry, understood Kenworth and maintained its ideals allowing its growth to continue. With the end of the war, however, military contracts concluded. Nonetheless, the experience left an undeniable impact on the company. It acquired new skills to manufacture larger quantities of customized vehicles and increased its number of factories throughout the western states.
By 1951, Kenworth began developing vehicles for the oil industry. It built the Model 853, which proved very popular amongst oil companies. All the while it was also designing a vehicle for moving earth, the Model 801.
Due to its success, Pacific Car and Foundry decided to move Kenworth beyond U.S. borders by building facilities in both Canada and Mexico.
In 1955, Kenworth began releasing whole new series of vehicles. One truck situated the passenger cab beside the engine, decreasing the vehicle's weight and making room for a further half-ton of cargo.
The 1960s' Model 900 series had a new frame design and dropped the front section creating a shortened and lightened chassis. The W900 had a larger cab and redesigned instrument panel and the K100 cab-over was built to maximize cargo room.
Kenworth spent the next few decades evolving these vehicles by decreasing wind resistance, increasing gas mileage, remodeling living space, and maximizing cargo hold abilities.
In 1985, Kenworth released the T600A, a sloped-nosed vehicle with a set back front axle. Its aerodynamic design decreased fuel bills by up to 22 percent.[3]
Kenworth introduced dual steering in 1991 by constructing two separate axles, allowing for much tighter turns.
The company has continued product development through the 90s and into the millennium.
[edit] The Company Today
Kenworth specializes in manufacturing medium- to heavy-duty trucks. It is currently a division of Paccar, a multinational technology company manufacturing commercial vehicles sold around the world.
Kenworth head offices are in Kirkland, Washington, USA with manufacturing plants in Chillicothe, Ohio; Ste-Therese, Quebec; and Seattle and Renton, Washington. It also has 290 dealer locations throughout the United States and Canada.
[edit] Equipment List
- Dump truck
- Fire Truck
- Fuel truck
- Log truck
- Long haul truck
- Pickup truck
- Reefer truck
- Regional haul truck
- Rock truck
- Semi-truck
- Vocational truck
