Born in Richford, on November 30, 1888, Robert Gilmour LeTourneau (November 30, 1888 – June 1, 1969) was a prolific creator of construction equipment and the company’s founder. During World War II, approximately 70% of the earthmoving and engineering vehicles used by the Allies came from his companies. Additionally, more than half of the 1,500-mile (2,414-km) Alcan Highway in Canada was constructed using LeTourneau machinery. Over the course of his life, he obtained close to 300 patents for machine tools, industrial processes, and earthmoving machinery.
What legacy did Mr Letourneau leave?
LeTourneau was a prolific innovator. A 1953 invention for a “bulldozing machine,” a precursor to the contemporary bulldozer, is one of his 299 granted patents. A mobile platform for offshore oil drilling, a portable crane, powered rollers to compact pavement, bridge spans, and an electric-driven wheel were among the other inventions patented. He was in charge of producing 70% of the earthmoving machinery used by the Allies to construct runways, roads, and shelters during World War II. His innovations, which are still in use today, sparked a revolution that drives the advancement of our contemporary society.
