DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - Caterpillar Inc. was honored Wednesday for winning a "Coolest Thing Made in Illinois" contest.
The Illinois Manufacturers' Association awarded Caterpillar with a trophy and banner for winning the award. The "Coolest Thing" was the Caterpillar 797F Mining Truck, which is made in Decatur and is the world's largest mechanical truck, per a press release.
The truck stands at over 23 feet tall on six 13-foot tires. The IMA said it has best-in-class productivity and fuel-efficiency. It has a top speed of 40 miles per hour and can haul 400 tons of payload in a single trip (i.e. 13,000 bushels of soybeans or 686,000 ears of corn).
“Designed for mining and heavy-duty construction applications, this iconic truck is rugged and dependable – just like Illinois’ manufacturing sector,” said Mark Denzler, president and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association. “We’re proud to recognize the Caterpillar Inc. team, particularly the men and women on the factory floor, for their dedication, hard work and innovative spirit. Manufacturers across Illinois are leading the way forward every day, from driving our economy and supporting working families to making life-saving products, equipping first responders and ensuring that our food supply is safe and strong.”
The release said this truck beat out over 260 other products in the inaugural IMA "Makers Madness" competition. This was an online bracket-style tournament the organization looked to use to showcase the products made by Illinois manufacturers.
There were nearly 300,000 votes cast over the course of this competition earlier in 2020.
The award ceremony was support to be in April, but had to be delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. People can click here to view a video honoring Caterpillar as wall as all of the 2020 finalists.
