Oshkosh Marks100 Years
by Brendan Dooley
Three Nolte’s Towing units brought up the rear of the parade in case of trouble (above). A 2007 Kenworth T800/Jerr-Dan 50-ton integrated heavy (a former My Baby unit from AT’s October 2016 issue), followed by a 2009 Sterling Bullet/Jerr-Dan Cougar and a 2012 Freightliner/Jerr-Dan 22’ XLP rollback. Jerr-Dan and JLG make up Oshkosh Corp.’s “Access Equipment” unit (below).
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shkosh Corp. celebrated its 100th year in business with a factory open house and a community parade in its Oshkosh, Wis., hometown last month. The warm weather with a light breeze was perfect for the Saturday morning parade and events. Jerr-Dan, an Oshkosh company since June 2004, had wreckers and equipment both on display in the parade, and with wreckers from local Nolte’s Towing staged around the route (in the unlikely event of a breakdown in the procession … of which there were none). Coincidentally, JerrDan is marking an anniversary this year too with its 45th Anniversary. The 100 Year Anniversary Parade featured dozens of Oshkosh family products across its access equipment (Jerr-Dan and JLG), defense, fire/emergency and commercial lines ranging from antique to new. The parade included the company’s “Old Betsy,” a four-wheel-drive unit built in 1917 that underwent a recent restoration to get road ready for the 100th anniversary, as well as its newest offerings including the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle.
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William Besserdich and B.A. Mosling founded Oshkosh in 1917 on two key patented innovations: a transfer case that transfers power from the front axle to the rear, and improved steering and drive capacity of the front axle. Old Betsy was the prototype display of these innovations that attracted investors. “We’re proud and humble that our company truly makes a difference in people’s lives; building on a foundation that began 100 years ago,” said Wilson R. Jones, Oshkosh Corp. president/CEO. Nolte’s Towing does a lot of work for Oshkosh moving vehicles and chassis. Nolte’s operator Don Davis related an inspiring anecdote talking
with one Oshkosh line worker: “I was hooking up an MATV and there was an Oshkosh worker on break and he walked up to me and said, ‘You take care of that, that’s part of me.’ I looked at him and asked what he meant and he said, ‘Well I take pride in my work and that’s part of me because I built that truck.’ “I thought that was pretty neat … because towers take pride in our trucks too, when we keep them clean, wash them, keep them operational and professional.” Author’s note: Special thanks go to Nolte’s Towing owner Chuck Anderson for alerting me to the parade and letting me ride with operator Don Davis during the parade to get photos.
