kenworth history 320

it started in a small Seattle automotive shop two mechanics had a vision a tougher breed of truck custom-built a truck Northwest industries could count on primitive roads and in heavy weather day in and day out the result was something utterly new to Northwest roads the ger six harry kent and edgar Worthington believed that what was good for the Northwest would be good for the country they purchased cursings and renamed it Kenworth while the name changed the philosophy behind the trucks remained the same build a premium truck to a customer's own specifications and stay by that customer side mile after mile the west a truck can go from the warm coastline to a freezing mountain summit in just an hour or two Kenton Worthington knew that a truck custom design for such harsh conditions and proven on the job every day would be second to none sure the 20s Kenworth came to stand not only for strength but for innovation the company built trucks on pressed steel frames they offered seven speed transmissions pneumatic tires and more comfortable cabs business was booming production rose to three trucks a week in the crash of 1929 the world came to a standstill but thanks to innovative thinking Kenworth developed new markets to offset the decline in truck sales during the Great Depression the company designed and built buses and fire trucks Kenworth continued to lead the world in truck design in the 1930s they became the first American truck company to install diesel engines in production models and the first to offer a sleeper cab for the comfort of drivers nothing it seemed could slow the company down in 1941 America was at war and Kenworth aided the war effort in every way the Seattle plant was converted to make no sections bomb bay doors and bulkheads for b-17 and b25 bombers for the first time women stepped in to fill critical labor jobs the War Department saw Kenworths ability to design tough specialized vehicles and asked the company to build m1 wreckers for the Pacific Theater as the war came to an end Kenworth caught the eye of Paul picot president of Seattle's Pacific car and foundry he was operating his business on the same principles of quality integrity and customer service that had been established by his father William who had founded the company Paul Pickett believed a post-war boom would propel the motor truck industry to new heights in 1945 he acquired Kenworth for Pacific car and foundry it was the pickets first foray into the truck business but in the first five years of their leadership Kenworth introduced 27 new truck models wartime experience with aluminum airplane parts helped Kenworth engineers pioneer lightweight chassis and hubs but as always Kenworth knew the best innovations came in response to customer needs Kenworth salesman watched sugar cane growers in Hawaii building temporary rail tracks to haul cane out of the fields no truck could do the job until Kenworth came along in the Arabian desert Kenworth engineers customized a truck for Aramco with special radiators and balloon tires to keep rolling through deep sands and in the Yukon where oil workers fought sub-zero conditions the truck of choice was a Kenworth 923 because of their dedication to testing trucks in the field it said that Kenworth engineers wear muddy boots nowhere is this truer than in the logging industry where Kenworth was a pioneer in the field and developed a reputation for building the toughest most reliable trucks for the job the 50s and 60s brought continued international expansion with the openings of Kenworth Canada mexicana and ostrich throughout the 60s 70s and early 80s Kenworth sales were dominated by the W 900 and K 100 series both the conventional and cabover models offered innovations in driver comfort transmission options and aerodynamics in 1985 Kenworth introduced the vehicle that changed the truck industry forever affected in a wind tunnel the t6 hundreds aerodynamic form set new standards for fuel efficiency and driver comfort today Kenworths leadership and dedication to innovation continues Kenworth trucks keep the world moving whenever wherever Kenworth drivers are behind the wheel the company goes with every last line in the world's best truck

Channel: Marketing Manager

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Keywords: kenworth, history, 320

Id: AZOmeUdjrxA

Length: 6min 11sec (371 seconds)

Published: Fri Jan 11 2013