INDIANAPOLIS, IN — Indianapolis headquartered MacAllister Machinery Co., the Indiana Caterpillar dealer, privately owned by President and CEO Chris MacAllister, has had momentum and horsepower since its origination in 1945. A good team, steady growth of its operations, and adapting and expanding product lines for customers have all helped lead MacAllister to be in its third generation of Dealer Principals, and to celebrate its 75th year in business.

MacAllister provides an expanding line of quality equipment and products, extending past the Caterpillar brand for almost every need. With a line of top manufacturers and delivering a high level of customer service, the company focuses on the specific needs of individual customers and is a solutions provider. A full line of equipment solutions are available to mining, construction, paving, earthmoving, truck engine, power generation, industrial, landscape, municipality, agricultural, and Blue Bird bus customers.

Today, 24 locations dot the state, with each branch offering some combination of specific products and services: Cat new or used heavy equipment; rental; generators; RIG360 truck service centers; outdoor power equipment, including Cat, Kubota, Exmark, Stihl, and Echo products; underground shoring and pump; Blue Bird school buses; and agriculture equipment, parts, service, and advanced technologies. In Michigan, there are now 20 locations.

E.W. MacAllister, company Founder, returned home in Wisconsin after WWI and worked for his local county highway department. Finding his way to Milwaukee, he worked at Drott Tractor Company, that soon became an Allis-Chalmers dealer. E.W. was offered to run an Allis-Chalmers dealership himself in Indiana in 1941, which came to be known as MacAllister Tractor Company. In just four years, E.W. was approached by Caterpillar to become a Cat dealer instead. So in 1945 MacAllister Machinery Co. history began.

“If he were here today, E.W. MacAllister would be astounded at the size, nature, and success of MacAllister Machinery, the business he founded in 1945," Chris said. "He provided an excellent foundation for the company, based in Indianapolis for 75 years, by linking up with Caterpillar and establishing a culture of treating people well and square dealing."

Pershing Edwin MacAllister -– known as P.E. or Mac, one of E.W.’s sons, was MacAllister’s second president. He graduated from Carroll College, was out of the Air Corps, and was considering a teaching career until E.W. suggested he start working at MacAllister. P.E. started from the bottom of the company as Shipping Parts Clerk and worked his way up. Within six years, E.W’s health turned for the worse and he turned over leadership of the company to P.E. in 1951, naming him President. P.E. remained Chairman of the Board until his death last year.

Chris, P.E.’s son, took over the reins of the company becoming President in 1991 and the next Dealer Principal. With Chris and his team, a surge of growth occurred by 1999. Operations invested heavily in rentals, starting a whole new model of standalone Cat Rental Stores and then the 2011 acquisition of Michigan Tractor Company (Michigan Cat).

Today MacAllister has 15 rental stores scattered throughout the state in addition to the other heavy equipment full service facilities, totaling 24 locations in Indiana. Rental operations have expanded into Michigan now, with 10 locations — soon to be 11 — combined with nine full service heavy equipment and power systems for a total of 20 locations for Michigan.

With the acquisition of Michigan Tractor Company in 2011, the two Caterpillar dealerships each retain their original business name but operate under the corporate header of MacAllister Family of Companies. Michigan Cat was established in 1944, and covers the lower peninsula of Michigan. After the acquisition, the expansion of rental services has given them more solutions to offer customers.

MacAllister puts importance on further developing its employees and leadership to keep up with the company growth. Leadership development instruction is working on strategies to enhance the skills of many of the company’s leaders. Kyle Metcalfe, Leadership Development Instructor at MacAllister Machinery, said the first screening for leaders comes across at hiring where they actively look for individuals who have high potential for developing into leaders.

“It is our people, more than anything else, who are the key to MacAllister’s strength, success, and longevity," Chris said. “With the fourth generation of MacAllisters now on board and an excellent team in place, the company has tremendous opportunity to continue growing and improving. We are thankful for all that our teammates have done and for the confidence our customers have placed in us.”