@triumphrider
LMAO at you last comment. Beam me up Scottie.

I read a lot what is being said by exhalt but there are two key players in the US that exhalt never comments on - Taylor Machine Works or Hoist. As a side note, in my opinion Hyster at one time was a major player in big machines but as time went on they lost market share. In other words the Old gray mare ain't what she used to be.
Taylor has long been recognized in North America as the leading big truck manufacturer (15K & above). Their sales activity has never been reported in the ITA statistics. Only SWAG on how many they move out each year. But there are tons of Big Reds running around in various lumber operations to ports activities in N. A. and other parts of the world.
Hoist seems to have made great strides in large capacity truck as well with some innovative designs in recent year and solid reputation.
Don't know much about them so much but just what I read. Sounds like another "Southside of Chicago Boy Makes Good" story with a lot of BST (Blood Sweat & Tears - used to run the Rush/State Street scene back in the '68/69 time period)