Heavy equipment manufacturer headquarted in
Peoria, Illinois. Cat is one of the largest companies in the world (Fortune 100 I think).
Caterpillar employed 66,000 people worldwide in 1999, and showed a profit of 946 million dollars.
Everything they make is yellow -- a very distinct color of yellow. You probably know the color I'm talking about. Even if you aren't from around here (meaning the USA), you know the color. Do you remember the last bulldozer you saw? Was it yellow? If it was, Caterpillar probably made it.
Caterpillar formed in 1925 with the merger of the Holt and Best tractor companies. Both Holt and Best were pioneers in gasoline tractor manufacturing. Cat produced its first diesel tractor in 1931. Nearly 70 years later Cat still gets most of its revenue from the diesel track type (like tank treads) tractor. Other major sources of revenue include the diesel generator division and the ag tractor division.
On a personal note three generations of my family have made a living as engineers or line workers at Caterpillar. My grandfather, uncles, and cousins have spent many years at "Big Yellow".