Edited by Ivy Chang

In 1958, the Melroe Manufacturing Company forged a partnership with Cyril and Louis Keller, two inventor-blacksmith brothers. This partnership led to the creation of the "Melroe Self-Propelled Loader," a three-wheeled, front-end loader that was the precursor to the skid-steer loaders of today. Throughout 2008, Bobcat Company is celebrating the compact equipment industry that this partnership spawned. Here's a quick look at Bobcat's history:

1947: Melroe founded a company

Edward Gideon "E.G." Melroe, the son of Norwegian immigrants and a farmer in Gwinner, North Dakota, founds the Melroe Manufacturing Company. The company is created to meet increasing demand for the Melroe Pickup, a combine attachment. The Melroe Pickup efficiently picks up windrows of grain with minimal loss of kernels. Melroe Manufacturing Company spends most of the next decade producing the Melroe Pickup and a spring tooth harrow.

1955: Melroe passes to the next generation

E.G. Melroe passes away. His sons, Lester, Clifford, Roger, and Irving take over the business. Eugene Dahl, son-in-law of E.G. Melroe, also joins the business.

1957: The Kellers create a loader

Brothers Cyril and Louis Keller operate a small machinist-blacksmith shop in Rothsay, Minnesota, repairing machinery for local farmers. Turkey farmer Eddie Velo approaches the Keller brothers with his need for a self-propelled loader that is light enough to be lifted to the second floor of Velo's turkey barns and small enough to clean around the barns' upright poles. The Kellers build a three-wheel loader with two drive wheels in front and a caster wheel in the rear. A six-horsepower engine with a rope starter provides power to the machine. Independent right and left steering levers control the movement of the loader, and the lift arms are controlled with foot pedals. Fork tines on the front scoop come from the Rothsay jail, which had the only steel the Kellers could find that was strong enough to perform the work without bending.

1958: Melroe Manufacturing Company and Keller brothers forge a partnership

The Keller brothers' uncle, a Melroe farm equipment dealer in Minnesota, shows the loader to Lester Melroe. Recognizing potential in the loader, the Melroe brothers invite the Kellers to demonstrate their invention at the Minnesota State Fair in August. Upon seeing the positive reaction of the crowds at the Fair, the Melroes purchase the rights to the machine. Cyril and Louis Keller are hired to refine the design and put the machine into production for Melroe Manufacturing Company.

A 9-horsepower engine is used in the first production loader, named the M-60 Melroe Self-Propelled Loader. The compact equipment industry is born.

1959: The second Melroe loader is unveiled

Melroe Manufacturing Company redesigns the M-60 as the M-200. However, the three-wheel design lacks the stability, power and traction needed for dependable operation.

1960: The first true skid-steer loader

In order to improve on the M-200 design, a second set of drive wheels is added to the back of the loader and called the M-400, which is introduced in 1960. With this four-wheel drive, the M-400 becomes the world's first true skid-steer loader. "Skid steer" describes the unique steering system in which the lighter end of the loader skids around the heavier end. Today, nearly one out of every two skid-steer loaders is a Bobcat machine.

1962: Bobcat brand unleashed

Looking for a catchier name than Melroe Self-Propelled Loader, the Melroes hire Gould, Brown & Bickett advertising agency to give the machine a new identity. During a one-day meeting at the agency office in Minneapolis, Melroe advertising manager Sylvan Melroe and Lynn Bickett create the name and color scheme.

Sylvan Melroe brings a list of animal names the company has been considering as possibilities for a new name for the loader. Melroe and Bickett use a dictionary to look up the animal names during the meeting. The dictionary defines a bobcat as "tough, quick and agile," attributes that perfectly describe the loader. The Bobcat brand is unleashed.

While talking about markets that use the loader, Melroe mentions dairy farming. The sparkling white, grade A reputation of the dairy industry inspires Bickett to suggest changing the existing red and yellow color of the loader to white.

1965: Bobcat enters Europe

Melroe Manufacturing Company introduces the Bobcat loader to Europe, the company's first entrance to a foreign market. Today, European annual sales represent more than a quarter of worldwide sales for Bobcat Company. In the 1970s, Bobcat enters Latin America and Asia.

1969: Clark Equipment Company purchases Melroe

Melroe Manufacturing Company is acquired by Clark Equipment Company and becomes the Melroe Division of Clark Equipment Company.

1970: Bob-Tach system introduced

The Bob-Tach™ quick-change attachment system debuts. This system allows operators to quickly and effortlessly change attachments to enable a machine to perform multiple functions. The Bob-Tach system has been re-designed and upgraded throughout the years and is used many times a day on Bobcat skid-steer, all wheel steer, compact track and mini track loaders, and the Toolcat™ utility work machine.

Similar quick-change attachment systems are available on Bobcat excavators and utility vehicles and now on VersaHandler® telescopic tool carriers. The Hydraulic X-Change® system is available on certain models of Bobcat excavators, and the RapidLink™ system is available on the 2300 utility vehicle.

1977: Skid-steer loaders without chain adjustments

Bobcat introduces the first skid-steer loader that does not require chain adjustments and continues to be the only manufacturer which offers skid-steer loaders without chain adjustments.

1985: Transversely mounted engines

Bobcat introduces a skid-steer loader with a transversely mounted engine on the 943 model. This engine design gives operators easy access to daily maintenance points. Bobcat is still the only loader manufacturer to offer transversely mounted engines.

1986: Bobcat adds compact excavators

Bobcat adds compact excavators to its line of compact equipment. In 1989, Bobcat begins excavator production at its manufacturing facility in Bismarck. Today, Bobcat Company is still the only manufacturer to build compact excavators in the United States.

1995: Ingersoll Rand purchases Clark Equipment Company

Ingersoll Rand purchases Clark Equipment Company, its Melroe division and — along with it — the Bobcat brand.

1999: Compact track loaders join Bobcat lineup

Compact track loaders with solid-mounted undercarriages are introduced by Bobcat. One out of every two compact track loaders in use today is a Bobcat machine.

2001: All-wheel steer and skid-steer in one loader

Bobcat invents the first loader with all-wheel and skid-steer capabilities. Bobcat remains the only manufacturer that offers such a loader.

2003: Toolcat utility work machine introduced

Continuing the legacy of innovation, Bobcat introduces the Toolcat utility work machine. This first-of-its-kind machine is a cross between an attachment carrier, pickup truck and utility vehicle. The Toolcat machine also remains a Bobcat exclusive.

2007: Doosan Infracore Acquires Bobcat

Doosan Infracore purchases the Bobcat Company from Ingersoll Rand. Bobcat now operates as an individual business of Doosan Infracore International, a United States subsidiary of Doosan Infracore in Japan.

2008: Celebrating the past and present, and leading innovation into the future

Bobcat has nearly 1,000 dealers located in 90 countries providing compact equipment throughout the world.

In 2008, Bobcat celebrates 50 years of providing superior compact equipment with a 50 Years Unleashed North American Road Show that will travel to 23 cities in the United States and Canada, contests, a special 50th anniversary salute on www.bobcat.com, and an exhibit highlighting Bobcat history at CONEXPO - CON/AGG 2008.

Based in West Fargo, North Dakota, Bobcat Company continues to lead the industry in the design, manufacture, marketing, and distribution of compact equipment.