America's story is one of innovation. From the first powered flight and the interstate highway system to modern manufacturing, space exploration and the digital age, generations of inventors, engineers, builders and problem-solvers have transformed how people live, work, travel and connect. Innovation has never been an end in itself, but rather the engine that has built America.
At Oshkosh Corporation, we believe that same spirit of innovation continues to shape our company today. Founded and headquartered in the United States of America, Oshkosh has grown into a global industrial technology company serving customers across diverse markets around the world.
FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS TO GLOBAL IMPACT
For more than a century, Oshkosh Corporation has been solving some of the world's toughest challenges through innovation. What began as an idea to overcome unusable roads has grown into a global company that designs purpose-built vehicles, equipment and services to help communities and businesses accomplish critical tasks.
Over the decades, Oshkosh has continued to answer the call when America needed new solutions. The story began in 1917, when William Besserdich and Bernhard Mosling founded the Wisconsin Duplex Auto Company. Building on their groundbreaking four-wheel-drive technology, they developed the company's first prototype truck, “Old Betsy,” a solution that could travel where conventional vehicles could not. That pioneering spirit has driven Oshkosh ever since.
When military bases and airfields required dependable snow removal in harsh winter climates, Oshkosh developed specialized snowplow trucks to help military bases and airfields stationed in winter climates respond quickly to threats. As aviation expanded, Oshkosh introduced the first Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) vehicle for the U.S. Coast Guard, helping redefine emergency response capabilities. During the post-World War II construction boom, the company's front-discharge concrete mixer helped modernize concrete placement, supporting the rapid growth of roads, bridges, neighborhoods and communities across the country.
Innovation didn't stop there.
Oshkosh engineers advanced military mobility through platforms such as the Logistics Vehicle System and the TAK-4® independent suspension system, giving service members unprecedented capability across difficult terrain. The company pioneered autonomous defense technologies through TerraMax™, one of the first unmanned, self-driving logistics vehicle systems developed for the U.S. military.
Innovation continued with the introduction of the MB-5 for the U.S. Navy, designed to combat jet fuel fires aboard aircraft carriers. The MB-5 established Oshkosh as a global leader in Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) vehicles. Soon after, the company introduced the MB-1, a 1,000-gallon ARFF vehicle, bringing the company’s firefighting expertise to commercial airports around the world.
Every innovation addressed a different challenge, but they all shared a common purpose: solving real-world problems for the everyday heroes who keep America moving. Firefighters, soldiers, airport rescue crews, refuse and recycling operators, construction workers and countless others keep our communities moving.
Across Oshkosh Corporation, we’re not only building industry-leading vehicles and equipment, we’re advancing the technologies that will define the future of work. Through innovations in autonomy, artificial intelligence, connectivity and electrification, we’re creating solutions that help our customers work with greater confidence in the moments that matter most.
Electrification is one example of that commitment. Pierce® Manufacturing, part of our Vocational segment, introduced North America's first in service electric fire truck, the Pierce Volterra® zero-emissions pumper, in 2021. That same year, the Oshkosh® Striker® Volterra® performance hybrid ARFF vehicle demonstrated the future of airport firefighting. In 2023, McNeilus® expanded Oshkosh's Volterra platform with the first fully integrated, zero-emission refuse and recycling collection vehicle: the McNeilus® Volterra™ ZSL™.
Beyond electrification, Oshkosh continues to invest in intelligent, connected technologies that improve safety, productivity and fleet performance. In the Access segment, JLG® launched ClearSky Smart Fleet™ in 2023 — the industry's first true two-way fleet management and communications platform, giving customers real-time connectivity, actionable insights and greater control over their equipment. These innovations are helping lay the foundation for increasingly autonomous and AI-enabled solutions across our portfolio.
The Transport segment continues to earn the trust of essential customers by delivering advanced capabilities for critical applications. In 2018, Oshkosh Defense was awarded a seven-year contract by the U.S. Army's TACOM Life Cycle Management Command to produce the FMTV A2. Then, in 2021, the United States Postal Service selected Oshkosh Defense to build its Next Generation Delivery Vehicle (NGDV).
From a four-wheel-drive prototype to a global portfolio of industry-leading technology, Oshkosh Corporation has spent more than 100 years moving the world forward. As we celebrate America's 250th anniversary, we honor that legacy of innovation and the role American manufacturers continue to play in strengthening the nation and making a lasting impact around the world.
The technologies shaping our future may be different from those that defined our past, but the purpose behind them remains the same: innovating to help the people who build, serve and protect our communities. That commitment will continue to drive Oshkosh for generations to come.