The third Annual Kenworth Parade in Chillicothe at 8:30 tonight was staged at the Ross County Fairgrounds on Friday. Here’s a look at the ‘truck show’ display there of Kenworths from across the country, plus some of the history of Kenworth Chillicothe, Kenworth, and PACCAR.
From the March 3rd “Kenworth’s Chillicothe, Ohio Manufacturing Plant Celebrates 50 Years of Producing the World’s Best Trucks“
The plant officially opened on March 4, 1974, and the plant’s first truck – a Kenworth W900 – rolled off the assembly line a day later.
Since then, Kenworth Chillicothe plant employees have produced more than 782,000 trucks in alignment with the company’s core values of quality, innovation and state-of-the-art technology. The plant employs approximately 2,500 people, one of the largest employers in Ross County (where Chillicothe resides), and is Kenworth’s largest manufacturing facility.
The Kenworth Chillicothe plant is located on a 120-acre site.
From “100 years,” on the Kenworth website:
In 1923, Harry Kent and Edgar K. Worthington came together to tackle what many thought an unsolvable problem: To help Pacific Northwest loggers as they struggled to haul heavy loads down tight, rugged, muddy logging roads. By walking in those loggers’ muddy boots. Driving those slippery, winding mountain roads.
They produced a truck as rugged and dependable as the loggers themselves. Kenworth has been innovating to solve our customers biggest transportation challenges ever since.
From PACCAR’s website:
In 1905, William Pigott, Sr. founded Seattle Car Mfg. Co. to produce railway and logging equipment at its plant in West Seattle. The Company later merged with Twohy Brothers of Portland to become Pacific Car and Foundry Company, a name it retained for the next 55 years. In 1924, William Pigott sold control of the Company to American Car and Foundry Company.
Believing “Pacific Car and Foundry Company” no longer accurately reflected the Company’s products and activities, directors and shareholders voted to adopt PACCAR Inc as its new name in 1972.
In 1973, two major divisions of PACCAR were founded. PACCAR International Inc., with headquarters in Bellevue, Washington, was formed to consolidate the sales and service of company products abroad, and PACCAR Parts Division was established in Renton to supply aftermarket parts sales.
PACCAR is a global technology leader in the design, manufacture and customer support of high-quality light-, medium- and heavy-duty trucks under the Kenworth, Peterbilt and DAF nameplates. PACCAR also designs and manufactures advanced diesel engines, provides financial services and information technology, and distributes truck parts related to its principal business.
Find more in the article on the Scioto Post, including three videos of the trucks.
Kevin Coleman covers local government and culture for the Scioto Post and iHeart Media Southern Ohio. For stories or questions, contact Kevin Coleman or the iHeart Southern Ohio Newsroom.
1 of 4 On display at the Chillicothe Kenworth Truck Parade staging grounds at the Ross County Fairgrounds.
2 of 4 3 of 4 4 of 4 Here’s the parade route. Also, Yoctangee Boulevard is closed for staging.