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Private company

Carter Machinery

American lubricant producer

Carter Machinery, founded in Virginia in 1927, is the authorized Caterpillar equipment dealer serving Virginia, Delaware, Washington D.C., and portions of West Virginia. By the 1980s, it also became the largest dealer in Caterpillar equipment in the United States, and it was acquired by Caterpillar, Inc. in 1988. Caterpillar contended that the acquisition, breaking its tradition of having only independent dealerships, was necessary to protect its right to dictate who could sell and service their product in the state of Virginia.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1952Founded1

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Carter Machinery, founded in Virginia in 1927, is the authorized Caterpillar equipment dealer serving Virginia, Delaware, Washington D.C., and portions of West Virginia. By the 1980s, it also became the largest dealer in Caterpillar equipment in the United States, and it was acquired by Caterpillar, Inc. in 1988. Caterpillar contended that the acquisition, breaking its tradition of having only independent dealerships, was necessary to protect its right to dictate who could sell and service their product in the state of Virginia. Carter was bought out by its management in 2011, again becoming an independent dealer for Caterpillar.2

Timeline

  1. 1952Founded Founded1

Sources

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