PACCAR Winch is recognized as a leader in the design, manufacture and sale of gear, hoist, winch and drive products sold through its Braden, Carco, and Gearmatic brands. It has a global presence along with the resources and standing of Fortune 200 company PACCAR Inc behind it.
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PACCAR Winch is a division of PACCAR Inc, which is well-known for its custom engineered products, customer service and parts support. In addition to Braden, Carco and Gearmatic, other brands under the PACCAR umbrella are DAF, Kenworth, and Peterbilt, representing over one hundred years of industry experience.
PACCAR’s history dates back to 1905, when William Pigott, Sr. established the Seattle Car Manufacturing Company which produced equipment for the railway and logging industries. The company would eventually become The Pacific Car and Foundry Company. In 1972, the name was shortened to PACCAR to better reflect the products produced at that time.
In 1932, using a new lightweight alloy developed by the company’s foundry, the Carco division was established to provide high power winches for logging and construction applications.
The Gearmatic Company, established in British Columbia in 1946, was acquired in 1962 and the Braden Company, established in Tulsa in 1924, was acquired in 1977. The three companies were consolidated in 1983 in Oklahoma, creating PACCAR Winch as it is known today.
Building on the strength of these brands, PACCAR Winch expanded both its reputation and its product lines. All of this is supported by the scope of PACCAR Inc.
“We sell our product under three brands: Braden, Carco and Gearmatic,” explained Jacob Conley, PACCAR Winch’s Chief Engineer. “Braden started in the oil industry and supplies a wide variety of products for mobile crane, utility and oil exploration applications. Carco started in the forestry industry and is well known for its durable products covering construction, pipe laying and forestry applications. Gearmatic also began in the forestry industry but the unique features of the product make it applicable to a large number of different industries including marine, fishing, drilling, and pipe laying.”
“We’re part of a large Fortune 200 organization which provides us access to the research support, testing facilities, global network, and financial strength that gives us a competitive advantage in the marketplace and an opportunity to continue to grow on a global basis,” noted Steve Mosinski, Marketing Manager.
“PACCAR is a large organization of over 23,000 employees that provides us access to a much larger corporate capability, but we operate as a small, tight-knit division where the team works closely together to meet our customer’s needs,” noted General Manager Brennan Gourdie. PACCAR Winch has a team of three hundred employees who are the reason for the division’s success. They have a wealth of industry knowledge, technical expertise and decades of experience which is combined with technical capacity to deliver results.
It has invested heavily in its people and technology to achieve this level of recognition. From its R&D and engineering teams to its manufacturing, assembly, sales and service, the focus of the company is on the best available parts, products, service and technical support in the industry.
Gourdie explained how PACCAR Winch was able to achieve its place in the markets it serves. “What has really driven business is a focus on the quality and longevity of the product. The other thing we provide are custom engineered solutions to a customer’s needs.”
Product development is another pillar of the company’s success. The company recently exhibited at ConExpo 2017 where it showcased new products including the Carco H40R, a cost-effective tractor tailwinch designed for the occasional recovery application. This product features 40,000 pounds of line pull, is simple to operate, and designed for quick change-out in the field.
“It’s different than our regular offering in that it is more economical for an occasional recovery type of use. It has significant performance at a really attractive price point, resulting in favorable responses from those at ConExpo,” said Curt Wormington, Director of Sales and Marketing.
The Braden PD10/15 Legacy hoists and TR20 winch were also displayed at ConExpo. The PD10/15 Legacy products were designed for use on existing offshore platforms, as well as new installations that require a compact hoist. “The TR20 is a new winch that was introduced into production this year and provides the durability and ease of maintenance required for the trailer and recovery market,” noted Wormington.
PACCAR Winch tests its products extensively and meets national and international quality standards certified by organizations such as ASME, ISO and API. Employees ensure that the quality standards employed in the design, manufacture and service of its customers are never compromised.
“All of our testing and validation meet or exceed industry requirements – which we do on site. We have authorized service centers throughout the globe, and we have training programs where we can certify our customers to rebuild our products,” explained Assistant General Manager Mike Rogers.
“As for a safety culture, our products lift things in the air – including people – and safety is of the utmost concern, so all of our product validation and assembly is done to make sure everybody goes home the same way they came to work – both our customers and ourselves.”
Sheila Sanders, who is the Manager of Human Resources, provided some insight into the company’s ability to attract some of the best talent in the industry. “For candidates, we offer the benefit of joining and staying at a company with longevity, that is stable and has the benefits associated with a Fortune 200 company.”
“We have great benefits, really competitive pay and the career growth at PACCAR Winch,” she added. “We really look to internally develop our employees to grow into management or supervisory positions.” This is true of both the Winch division and PACCAR Inc.
Another important aspect of the company culture – and something else that is shared by the entire PACCAR Inc organization – is philanthropy and community outreach. Initiatives support The United Way, The Red Cross and the Oklahoma chapter of a national organization called ‘Dream It. Do It.’
Sanders explained that ‘Dream It. Do It.’, “is very involved in educating high school students in manufacturing and about manufacturing careers.” PACCAR Winch provides students with tours of the facility to bring them face-to-face with the potential of manufacturing and the many career opportunities that are available.
One impressive contribution the PACCAR Foundation has made is the $500,000 donation to the Gilcrease Museum’s Helmerich Center for American Research, which funded a research and remote learning connected classroom named the PACCAR Education Center. The Foundation also made a $100,000 donation to Oklahoma State University – Tulsa to establish an experimental mechanics/materials testing laboratory for undergraduate students, the PACCAR Mechanics and Material Testing Lab.
The PACCAR Foundation, a private organization that was formed in 1951 to fund education, social services and the arts in the communities in which the company operates. It is PACCAR’s success that has enabled it to support organizations and causes in the local community.
