Since the invention of the first self-propelled grader in 1919, a few companies have dominated the motor grader market. These construction and mining equipment giants include Caterpillar, Komatsu, Champion and John Deere. Each has built a reputation for quality and reliability over the course of 90 years or more.
Caterpillar
Caterpillar Inc. is an American corporation that’s famous worldwide for its construction vehicles – and it’s currently the world’s leading motor grader manufacturer.
Caterpillar Inc, was formed in 1925 as the result of a merger between the Holt Manufacturing Company and C. L. Best Tractor Company. In 1928, Caterpillar also bought the Russell Grader Manufacturing Company (the company responsible for the creation of the first motorised grader).
Caterpillar went on to integrate the tractor and grader into one unit. It also replaced the crawler tracks with rubber tyres. The company released the first rubber-tyred, self-propelled grader – the Caterpillar Auto Patrol – in 1931.
Caterpillar continued to produce tractor-pulled graders throughout the 20th century, enjoying financial success as the result of expansion into new markets, including China and Russia, and over 35 acquisitions across the globe. The company has held first place on the top of the Yellow Table Survey for the past 13 years, with an annual revenue of roughly US$28 billion.
Komatsu
Komatsu Limited is a Japanese multinational corporation that manufactures heavy machinery. It’s the second-largest manufacturer of mining and construction equipment in the world.
Komatsu was originally a division of the Takeuchi Mining Company, which established the Komatsu Iron Works in 1917 to manufacture tools and mining equipment. In 1921, the Takeuchi Mining Co. changed its name to Komatsu Limited, after the city of Komatsu.
The company’s most notable early productions were a metal press in 1924, an agricultural tractor prototype in 1931, and steel materials from 1935. Through the 1930s, Komatsu produced military tractors, bulldozers and forklifts for the Japanese army. Following the war, the company introduced commercial bulldozers and forklifts to its range. It grew rapidly in the 1950s, due to the strong demand for bulldozers during Japan’s post-war reconstruction.
In the 1960s, Komatsu started marketing its products overseas. By the late 1960s, the company was producing motor graders, shovel loaders, hydraulic excavators, wheel loaders and dump trucks for commercial use.
Komatsu has continued to uphold its reputation for quality, taking second place in the Yellow Table Survey for the 13th year straight in 2015, with an annual revenue of almost US$16,9 billion.
John Deere
Deere and Company (brand name John Deere) is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of farm, forestry, and construction equipment.
The company was started in 1837, when blacksmith John Deere turned to producing and selling agricultural equipment.
In 1918 Deere and Company expanded its product line to include tractors, and by the late 1920s, it was producing combine-harvesters. From the 1930s to the 1950s, the company focused on product development, creating its hugely popular Model “A” and Model “B” tractors. It also released its first diesel-powered tractor during this time.
Following its success in the United States, Deere and Company began expanding worldwide. By 1963, the company had surpassed Case IH as the world’s largest producer and seller of agricultural and industrial tractors and equipment.
In 1967, Deere and Company entered the motor grader market with the JD-570 – the first grader with an articulated frame. The company has continued to produce motor graders and tractors, expanding its market to over 160 countries.
Champion
Since its humble beginnings in 1875, Champion Road Machinery Ltd. has gained an international reputation for performance and reliability. The company has produced ten series of motor graders since 1975, and is credited with the production of the first reliable hydraulic tractor.
The Pennock family firm became involved in the manufacture of road building equipment in 1875, and went on to produce the first four-wheeled road-scraper – The American Champion – in 1877 . A little over a decade later, the Champion Winner series was released. The Pennocks continued to manufacture horse-powered graders until the 1920s.
Following in the footsteps of the Russell Grader Manufacturing Company, Champion began manufacturing motor graders in 1928. The company went on to produce its first fully hydraulic model in 1936.
In 1975, Champion introduced its Series I motor graders. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the company continued to improve its graders, adding articulated frames, duramide bearings and Cummins engines.
In 1994, the Champion Series IV motor graders were introduced, with hydraulic control levers. This signalled the company’s entry into the contractor market.
In 1997 the company was bought by Volvo Construction Equipment. Volvo CE soon began producing motor graders, releasing its first range in 2001. Today the company is ranked as the third-largest manufacturer of mining and construction equipment in the world.
At KH Plant, we offer rebuilt Caterpillar 140G, 140H and 140K motor graders, offering the same performance as new machines but at a fraction of the cost. Contact us for more information or to discuss your needs.