About Trojan Heavy Equipment

In an industry known for instability and great power struggles, Trojan briefly claimed leadership in articulated loaders. Initially, the Trojan line was manufactured by Yale and Towne, and manufactured wheel loaders. A leading competitor against heavy equipment giant Caterpillar, Trojan manufactured various heavy equipment pieces, but became known for the articulated loader, after it was introduced in 1966.

Articulated Loaders

According to Keith Haddock of ConstructionEquipment.com, wheel loaders started out as small farm tractors with buckets attached in front in the1920s. These large equipment pieces had several inconvenience traits, including a very large turning radius, resulting from an inflexible frame which restricted movement in tight places. When an articulating pivot shaft was introduced, a new loader was born, allowing for tight shifts and a small turning radius. The Trojan line was manufactured by Yale & Towne Manufacturing Co., beginning in 1950. According to the "Earthmover Encyclopedia," Trojan introduced the articulated model in 1966, but was among the last of the large equipment manufacturers to do so. The giant Trojan 8000 had an operating weight of 52 tons and its bucket had a capacity of 8 cubic yards The company said the loader had all the stability of a rigid frame because of advanced design.

Success

Trojan established a high reputation for quality and reliability for their entire line of loaders, even though the Trojan 8000 had a production life of slightly more than three years. Their articulated loader became a signature product, featuring two articulating pivots for greater flexibility, instead of the standard one.

Legacy

In 1982, Faun of Germany took over the company and were in turn taken over by Orenstein & Koppel (O&K) in 1986. Loaders under the Trojan brand name were discontinued in 1992 when the Batavia facility was closed down. However, because of their high quality, plenty of Trojan machines remain in use and there is an active trade in secondhand Trojan machinery and spare parts.