Caterpillar has been building heavy equipment since 1925. In forestry, their 500 series feller bunchers and skidders are among the most widely used machines in North America.
32 models with detailed specifications · Founded 1925 · caterpillar.com
| Model | Type | Engine HP | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 320 | Excavator | 162 HP | 49,600 lbs |
| 320D FM | Knuckleboom Log Loader - Track | 157 HP | 56,228 lbs |
| 325 | Excavator | 172 HP | 57,800 lbs |
| 325D FM | Knuckleboom Log Loader - Track | 204 HP | 81,466 lbs |
| 330 | Excavator | 273 HP | 69,200 lbs |
| 336 | Excavator | 300 HP | 75,400 lbs |
| 345 | Excavator | 346 HP | 93,000 lbs |
| 349 | Excavator | 424 HP | 105,200 lbs |
| 521B | Feller Buncher - Track | 303 HP | 60,629 lbs |
| 525C | Skidder | 196 HP | 39,045 lbs |
| 525D | Skidder | 203 HP | 45,249 lbs |
| 535C | Skidder | 218 HP | 39,780 lbs |
| 535D | Skidder | 225 HP | 36,500 lbs |
| 538 | Forest Machine | 172 HP | 66,140 lbs |
| 538GF | - | - | - |
| 538LL | - | - | - |
| 545C | Skidder | 232 HP | 42,325 lbs |
| 545D | Skidder | 250 HP | 46,717 lbs |
| 553C | Feller Buncher - Wheel | 174 HP | 32,280 lbs |
| 555D | Skidder | 275 HP | 47,488 lbs |
| 559 | Knuckleboom Log Loader - Trailer | 173 HP | 32,200 lbs |
| 559C | Knuckleboom Log Loader - Trailer | 173 HP | 34,100 lbs |
| 559D | Feller Buncher | 252 HP | 56,000 lbs |
| 563C | Feller Buncher - Wheel | 203 HP | 32,780 lbs |
| 563D | Feller Buncher - Wheel | 203 HP | 34,563 lbs |
| 568 | Knuckleboom Log Loader - Track | 319 HP | 106,128 lbs |
| 573D | Feller Buncher - Wheel | 241 HP | 35,043 lbs |
| D6 | Dozer | 215 HP | 44,000 lbs |
| FM538 GF | Processor | 172 HP | 66,140 lbs |
| FM538 LL | Knuckleboom Log Loader - Track | 172 HP | 69,640 lbs |
| HF201B | Sawhead | - | 7,054 lbs |
| HFW232 | Sawhead | - | 6,277 lbs |
Caterpillar — most people in the field just call them CAT — has been in the heavy equipment business for a hundred years. The company started as a merger between Holt Manufacturing and C.L. Best Tractor Co. in Peoria, Illinois, and they've been headquartered there ever since.
In forestry, CAT made a big push in the late 1990s and early 2000s by acquiring Blount's forestry division, which gave them purpose-built machines rather than adapted construction equipment. The 500 series wheel feller bunchers and skidders came out of that investment and quickly became standard equipment on logging jobs across the southeastern US.
The 535D and 545D skidders are workhorses — you'll find them on practically every forestry operation in the Carolinas, Georgia, and Alabama. The 563D and 573D feller bunchers are equally common. CAT also makes track-mounted log loaders and track feller bunchers for steeper terrain.
Parts availability is one of CAT's biggest advantages. With dealer networks in every state, getting parts and service for a CAT machine is easier than almost any other brand.
