Kenworth turns 90 this year, the truck manufacturer announced this week.
Harry W. Kent and Edgar K. Worthington incorporated the Gersix Motor Company in 1923 as Kenworth — a combination of their two names. The truck maker started out making 6-cylinder gasoline-powered truck in Seattle, and it built 78 in the first year. It has since built 900,000 trucks.
In its announcement, Kenworth said its “success and staying power in a competitive business can be traced back to a philosophy established early in the firm’s history. The goal was to build the right Kenworth truck for each customer’s application to get the job done…and build that truck to last. That philosophy, which continues to be true to this day, resulted in Kenworth establishing a solid reputation for its quality, innovative and durable trucks that are driven by state-of-the-art technology.”
Here’s a photo timeline of highlights from Kenworth’s 90 years:
1920s: Kenworth fleet showing “transition from solid to pneumatic tires and from open to enclosed cabs,” says Kenworth.
2007: T660 introduced, “refining the art of” aerodynamic on-highway trucks, says KW.
