Ever since Benjamin Holt produced his first horse-drawn harvester in the late 1800’s, HOLT Manufacturing has been building the products that move industries, and you, forward.
The Holt name has been associated with a heritage of innovation for more than 100 years.
HOLT Manufacturing owners, Peter J. Holt and Corinna Holt Richter are direct descendants of Benjamin Holt, who revolutionized farming in the late 1800’s with the Holt Combined Harvester and then in 1904 developed the first successful track-type tractor, which he named the “Caterpillar.”
Benjamin Holt with British Col. Ernest Dunlop Swinton in Stockton, CA— April 1918.
Benjamin Holt standing near a Holt Traction Engine tractor, being tested at the Holt Manufacturing Company testing grounds at Roberts Island.
Within HOLT Manufacturing and the Holt family of companies, innovation has always been a cornerstone of success.
From the groundbreaking Caterpillar track-type tractor to today’s Spray King water tanks, engine and generator packaging, root plows, custom attachments, and specialized application machines, their legacy continues to evolve.
Flag raising at Holt Manufacturing Co. Peoria, Illinois— 1917
Parker Holt and Russell Springer on a Holt No.44 Steam Traction tractor, outside the Holt Manufacturing Company factory in Stockton, California. Circa 1917.
HOLT Manufacturing proudly follows the Values-Based Leadership™ management style, connecting employees, customers, shareholders, and stakeholders in a collaborative circle. This approach ensures the actions of one group benefit the others, fostering a cohesive and supportive environment. At its core, Values-Based Leadership defines success through ethical values, guiding the company in all its operations.
This leadership style has driven tangible outcomes, such as significant sales growth, and a spirit of shared responsibility and tradition. The values behind HOLT Manufacturing can be traced to Benjamin Holt, whose work ethic and commitment to customer service laid the foundation for the company’s enduring culture.
Benjamin Holt developed “link belt” combined harvesters in the late 1880’s. By the turn of the century, Holt Manufacturing was the largest combine manufacturer in America and was exporting to countries around the world.
Finding that heavy farm equipment bogged down in the loose soil of the San Joaquin River Delta in California, Holt put his inventive mind to work again. In 1904, Holt Manufacturing introduced the first successful track-type tractor, which they named the “Caterpillar.” Its continued success was assured once Holt found a way to power it with a gasoline engine in 1908.
Benjamin Holt
In 1925, Holt Manufacturing Company merged with one of its longtime competitors to form Caterpillar Tractor Company. Today, Caterpillar, Inc. is the world’s largest manufacturer of construction equipment.
In 1933, William K. “Bill” Holt, Benjamin’s second son, established the William K. Holt Machinery Co. in San Antonio, Texas, as a Caterpillar equipment dealership. The need for innovation was apparent in Texas. Regular requests for the design and fabrication of customized attachments for Cat machines is what first established Holt in the manufacturing business more than 80 years ago.
Seeing the need for specialized land-clearing equipment, Bill Holt encouraged the development of the Holt root plow during the 1940’s. In quick succession he developed other brush management implements and today HOLT land-clearing equipment is sold all over the world, a tribute to the second generation of Holt ingenuity.
Over the years, this custom design and manufacturing has included specialized tools, modifications to existing products, and development of unique products for unique customer applications.
Today, the original William K Holt Machinery company is known as HOLT CAT, the largest Caterpillar equipment dealership in the United States. HOLT CAT sells, rents and services Caterpillar machines, engines and generator sets in a 118-county territory in Texas.
HOLT Manufacturing is a part of a growing family of companies that are a part of Holt Texas, Ltd., whose name has become synonymous with quality, integrity and commitment to customer service.
The HOLT Manufacturing company name lives on through Benjamin Holt’s direct descendants and a team who believe in his original values and vision.
The innovation that started with linked belts and self-laying tracks also continues on through modern technology and advances.
©2025 Holt Texas, Ltd. d/b/a HOLT Manufacturing. All rights reserved. HOLT, Spray King, and HOLT CAT are registered trademarks of Holt Texas, Ltd.
