Bobcat

1958 Melroe purchases rights to the Keller Loader, a 3 - wheeled loader devised by Cyril Keller and brothers Louis, who become workers of the Melroe Manufacturing Company. Launch of the Melroe M-60 selfpropelled loader.

1959 Melroe enhances the composition of its own first loader with all the launching of the M-200, another threewheeled loader powered by a 12.9 HP petrol motor.

1960 The M-400 design is born, which, with fourwheel-drive, is the planet's first accurate compact skidsteer loader.

1962 Start of the M-440, an enhanced variant of the M-400.

1963 Further design enhancements create the new M-444 model loader a real achievement. The very first Bobcat skidsteer loaders get to Europe.

1965 Melroe Company goes to the European market, signing a license deal with Smith & Luff of Southampton, England, to make Bobcat skidsteer loaders. Melroe starts a brand new facility at Chandlers Ford in Hampshire, near the Smith & Luff plant.

Smith & 1967 Luff goes broke, so-new licensing arrangements are made out of the Italian maker, Beltrami, based at Ravenna, to fabricate for the European marketplace.

1969 Melroe Company, United States, is obtained by Clark Equipment Company.

1970 Launch of the Bob-Tach quickchange attachment setup, ROPS operator guard, and the 'BigBob' M-970, the first skidsteer loader with hydrostatic drive.

1971 A advertising office is made in Brussels.

1975 Clark Intermational Marketing S.A. (CIMSA) headquarters (an office and bonded warehouse) are created in Dworp, Belgium, ca. 15 kilometers south of Brussels. Creation at Scheid Maschinenfabrik is used in North Dakota, United States.

1977 The 30 show Bobcat loaders come to the image with all the intro in the European dealer meeting in Monte Carlo of the model, featuring armrest, seat and cab developments.

1980 Cramped for space, CIMSA goes to a different place in Forest, Brussels. European dealer network: almost 90.

1982 Launch of the 40 show Bobcat loaders.

1984 Melroe introduces an unique new emblem, the Bobcat cathead.

1986 With the start of two new products to fit the skidsteer loaders - miniexcavators and compact trenchers - Melroe Company diversifies and starts its transformation to the planet's top compact gear maker. In Europe, complete staff, including field employees: about 75.

1989 Melroe Company begins creation of its line of miniexcavators in its plant in Bismarck, ND.

1990 Melroe Europe moves to much bigger facilities at Lot, ca. 10 kilometers south of Brussels. Spare parts is made with Melroe Components Trading in Mulheim, Germany.

1991 'A Decade Forward': With the launch of the Bobcat 50 collection skidsteer loaders, Melroe again leads the business into a greater amount of initiation with state-of-theart electronic equipment and improved security features.

1992 Report revenue in Europe: $150 million.

1994 Acquisition of Lot amenities. Complete staff, including field employees, in Europe: about 100.

1995 Melroe and its parent Clark organisation are got by IngersollRand Company for $1.7 billion. Melroe forms part of what will afterwards become Ingersoll-rand Infrastructure Sector.

100 European dealers. Bobcat Company expands the range with all the launching of the 5 - tonne 337 / 341 versions.

1999 Bobcat Europe starts its first streamlined tracked loader, the version 864.

2000 Bobcat Company purchases Sambron SA, a long-established maker of telescopic handlers based at Pont-Chateau in north-west France.

2001 Bobcat Company creates its 500,000th skidsteer loader. Launch in Europe of the A220, the planet's first streamlined loader which unites allwheel steering with skidsteering, in the flip of the switch within the operator cab. The business buys Superstav, s.r.o., a maker of compact loaderbackhoes based in Dobris, Czech Republic.

2002 Bobcat Company creates its 50.000th miniexcavator. New 7.5 tonne 442 midi-excavator started.

2005 IngersollRand divides Infrastructure sector into Compact Vehicle Technologies, two new sectors, Club Car and comprising Bobcat Company, and Building Technologies. Bobcat Europe enters the articulated wheeled loader industry with all the start of 3 versions. The Bobcat Europe excavator product-line is extended with the start of the 12.5 tonne 444 midi-excavator. Creation of the compact loaderbackhoes in Dobris, Czech Republic, is discontinued. Bobcat Company global income surpass $2 billion.

2006 Bobcat starts the first European designed and made miniexcavator, version 319.

2007 New Megacentre Puurs II logistics facility for components and Bobcat machines opens in Puurs in Belgium. Training Centre and New European Factory open in Dobris, Czech Republic. Bobcat starts the S100, the first skidsteer loader designed and made in Europe. The advanced T2250 telehandler can be released in Europe.

2008 Bobcat celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the loader.