Caterpillar has been building heavy equipment since 1925. In forestry, their 500 series feller bunchers and skidders are among the most widely used machines in North America.
20 models with detailed specifications · Founded 1925 · caterpillar.com
| Model | Type | Engine HP | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 320 | Excavator | 162 HP | 49,600 lbs |
| 325 | - | - | - |
| 330 | - | - | - |
| 336 | - | - | - |
| 345 | - | - | - |
| 349 | - | - | - |
| 521D | - | - | - |
| 522D | - | - | - |
| 525D | - | - | - |
| 532D | - | - | - |
| 535D | Skidder | 225 HP | 36,500 lbs |
| 538 | - | - | - |
| 541D | - | - | - |
| 545D | - | - | - |
| 552D | - | - | - |
| 555D | - | - | - |
| 559 | - | - | - |
| 559D | Feller Buncher | 252 HP | 56,000 lbs |
| 568 | - | - | - |
| D6 | Dozer | 215 HP | 44,000 lbs |
Caterpillar — most people in the field just call them CAT — has been in the heavy equipment business for a hundred years. The company started as a merger between Holt Manufacturing and C.L. Best Tractor Co. in Peoria, Illinois, and they've been headquartered there ever since.
In forestry, CAT made a big push in the late 1990s and early 2000s by acquiring Blount's forestry division, which gave them purpose-built machines rather than adapted construction equipment. The 500 series wheel feller bunchers and skidders came out of that investment and quickly became standard equipment on logging jobs across the southeastern US.
The 535D and 545D skidders are workhorses — you'll find them on practically every forestry operation in the Carolinas, Georgia, and Alabama. The 563D and 573D feller bunchers are equally common. CAT also makes track-mounted log loaders and track feller bunchers for steeper terrain.
Parts availability is one of CAT's biggest advantages. With dealer networks in every state, getting parts and service for a CAT machine is easier than almost any other brand.