"And the parts business is profitable to Caterpillar and to dealers. "The dealer who can offer both good parts and repair service has a real sales advantage over his competitors," Rubens said. In 1968 his major accomplishment was promoting the value of custom track service, a new track-rebuilding service that not only proved to be profitable, but also made the dealer more valuable to the customer. Just as today, Rubens recognized that showing value to the dealer on promoting parts and service has become an important part of the business. Fifteen years ago, they would have been concerned only with inventory control, office efficiency and the storeroom.”
Rubens went on to say, “The parts rep's role has changed over the years. He said, “Diplomacy was of the utmost importance, especially when the manager may have started selling parts before I was born.” Rubens believed he could help the dealer parts manager do a better job promoting sales and training people by recommending certain new techniques. He traveled 15 days a month – most of it by plane because of the distances, but in calling on customers, he also traveled by Jeep, by boat and on foot. The territory is as large as Western Europe. Rubens' territory included dealers in several eastern states of Brazil: Rio, Minas Gerais, Bahia, Goias, Sergipe, Espirito Santo, Guanabara and the Federal District of Brasilia, where the capital of Brazil is located.
In 1968 he became the supervisor of Parts Sales Training and Promotion for all of Brazil. The local Cat dealer called him personable, extroverted, energetic, diplomatic and intelligent. He started working for Caterpillar in 1966 and was a hard worker who spent his days selling Caterpillar services and his nights completing paperwork. Rubens Almeida was an innovator in the world of Caterpillar parts and services in Brazil. Blackie is named Chairman of the Board.Ĭaterpillar opens a new worldwide headquarters building in Peoria, Illinois.Ĭaterpillar engines supply power for the Apollo 11 mission to the moon. Eberhard is named Chairman of the Board.Ĭaterpillar employees and their families attend the first Power Parade. Several Caterpillar machines help widen sections of the Panama Canal. More than 500 Caterpillar machines help start the construction of the Mangla Dam in Pakistan.Ĭaterpillar introduces its first off-highway truck - the 769. See more of the decade in the video here and meet some amazing people who contributed to Caterpillar below. These products were perhaps eclipsed only by our customers’ incredible projects where our products and services – new and old – were put to the test… More than 500 Caterpillar machines helped start the construction of the Mangla Dam in Pakistan, several machines helped widen sections of the Panama Canal, and Caterpillar engines supplied power for the Apollo 11 mission to the moon. The powerhouse products of the decade included our first off-highway truck – the 769 – which debuted in 1962. Heralded at the time as a "breakthrough in the field of welding," inertia welding was capable of fusing both similar and dissimilar materials that in many instances were not practical to weld by other methods. The breakthroughs were major. In 1965 inertia welders, using a new welding process developed by Caterpillar engineers, were first marketed by Caterpillar for a wide range of industrial uses. Those two characteristics had been part of the DNA of the company since the start and the ’60s carried that thread forward with incredible engineering breakthroughs, amazing new product and passionate people. All for one goal: helping our customers accomplish their goals on the jobsite. The symbol was more than just a design mark.Īs then-Caterpillar President Bill Franklin said, "It conveys a sense of purpose and the concept of change and improvement – important characteristics of this company."Ĭhange and improvement. In 1967, Caterpillar introduced its first corporate symbol, four decades after the company was founded in the ’20s.