Oshkosh Corporation is a publicly traded American industrial company that specializes in designing and manufacturing specialty trucks, military vehicles, truck bodies, airport fire apparatus, and access equipment. In addition to its primary operations, the corporation also owns Pierce Manufacturing, a fire apparatus manufacturer located in Appleton, Wisconsin and JLG Industries, a leading lift equipment manufacturer, including aerial lifts, boom lifts, scissor lifts, telehandlers, and low-level access lifts.
Headquartered in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, the company operates 130 facilities in 24 countries, employing approximately 15,000 people worldwide. Its operations are organized into four primary business groups: access equipment, defense, fire and emergency, and commercial.
The company was founded in 1917 as the Wisconsin Duplex Auto Company with the purpose of producing a severe-duty four-wheel-drive truck. After the first prototype was built, the company began to grow quickly. The first four-wheel-drive truck, nicknamed “Old Betsy,” is still owned by Oshkosh Corporation and is kept in the company’s new Global Headquarters building in Oshkosh.
Over the years, the company has diversified its product offerings, introducing the first rubber-tired earthmover, aircraft tow tractors, and the U-30 Tow Tractor. In 1955, it also created the Model 50-50, which was the first truck specifically designed for the hauling of concrete.
Today, Oshkosh Corporation is a respected leader in its industry, with a focus on innovation and a commitment to quality.