KOMATSU Construction Equipment Upcoming Auctions

About Komatsu

Komatsu is one of the world’s largest manufacturers and sellers of construction and mining equipment. The firm also produces machinery for the compact construction, forklift, utilities, forestry, and industrial markets. Named after the city where it was founded in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, Komatsu is now based in Tokyo.

---

Komatsu PC360LCi-11 Crawler Excavator

Origins

Komatsu Ltd. was founded by Meitaro Takeuchi in May 1921, when the Komatsu Iron Works split from the Takeuchi Mining Company. The new company built Japan’s first track-type tractor for farming in October 1931, foreshadowing the many crawler dozers, excavators, and other construction machines in its future. Komatsu considers its Model 1 Ground Leveling Machine (1943) as the prototype for subsequent Japanese bulldozers, including the D50 model of 1947.

The company began to make its own diesel engines in 1948. In 1961, Komatsu inked a technology tie-up agreement with Cummins, signaling the beginning of a long-term partnership that has lasted for more than six decades.

Diversification & Expansion

Komatsu entered new markets with motor graders (1952); forklift trucks, dump trucks, and special-purpose vehicles (1953); shovel loaders (1956); wheel loaders (1965); and hydraulic excavators (1968). The Japanese firm has been exporting machinery since 1955.

In 1970, Komatsu began a major expansion effort into the United States that resulted in the establishment of Komatsu America Corporation. Based in Chicago, Illinois, the U.S. subsidiary is one of roughly 250 Komatsu operations worldwide.

Technological Milestones

Komtrax, the Komatsu Machine Tracking System, first appeared in 1998. The telematics and fleet management system became a standard feature on new Komatsu machinery by 2001. In 2008, the firm developed the first hybrid hydraulic excavator along with the world's first Autonomous Haulage System (AHS) mining truck, which deployed to a copper mine in Chile. Midsize Komatsu intelligent Machine Control dozers (2013) came with the industry's first automatic blade control system, according to the manufacturer.

Find The Right Komatsu Equipment

MachineryTrader.com is the perfect place to discover new and used Komatsu construction equipment for sale in your area and around the globe. Komatsu equipment on the market includes crawler and mini excavators, wheel loaders , bulldozers , motor graders , forklifts , dump trucks and articulated dump trucks , demolition equipment , loader backhoes, and skid-steer loaders.

Popular model series include Komatsu D65 crawler dozers, PC210 crawler excavators, PC55 mini excavators, FG18 pneumatic-tire forklifts, HM300 off-highway trucks, and WA320 wheel loaders.