75 Years and Counting

What began with a handshake on June 2, 1945 has become an enduring presence in the Indiana business community for the last 75 years.

That was the day E.W. MacAllister accepted the invitation to be the Caterpillar dealer for Indiana covering 68 counties and MacAllister Machinery Company began its history. 

The MacAllister Family of Companies, or MFC, includes MacAllister Machinery in Indiana and Michigan Cat, which MFC acquired in 2011. Today, MacAllister is an equipment solutions provider focusing on sales, rentals, parts, service and technology to its customers. Product offerings extend past the Caterpillar brand in; rentals, agriculture, railroad, underground shoring and pump, high quality outdoor power and landscape equipment such as Kubota, Stihl, Exmark, Echo and Blue Bird school buses. MacAllister has 24 locations throughout Indiana; 15 of them being MacAllister Rentals specifically, and Michigan has expanded to 20 locations.

From his roots on a dairy farm in Wisconsin, founder E.W. worked his way to Milwaukee where he was a manager with Drott Manufacturing. By 1941, he moved to Indianapolis and started MacAllister Tractor Company as an Allis-Chalmers dealer. Because of his success, Caterpillar approached him in June 1945 to become a Cat dealer instead. MacAllister Machinery was born. 

After graduating from college and serving in the Army Air Corps, son P.E. and his brother Dave joined their father in the growing business. By 1951, P.E. was company president and remained chairman of the board until his passing at 101 in October 2019. His son Chris is the third generation of MacAllisters, at the reins of the company since 1991, with his son Alex preparing to become the fourth generation of leadership. 

Kyle Metcalfe, whose job is employee and leadership development for the company, notes that MacAllister’s vision is to develop an “exceptionally skilled team” that focuses on its customers as well as building a strong business.

The company has a 25 Year Club that has an annual event as well as annual anniversary award luncheons that recognize and reward employees for every five years of service. Even last year when P.E. was 101, accompanied by son Chris, he kept his annual tradition of visiting each location to honor employees for their loyalty and service. 

The company has planned a full schedule of celebrations at all of 

the MacAllister and Michigan sites to mark the 75^th anniversary.

Recalling his grandfather and company founder, Chris considers the milestone. “If he were here today, E.W. would be astounded at the size, nature and success of the company.”

In addition to the company’s strong foundation, Chris says, “It is our people, more than anything else, who are the key to MacAllister’s strength, success and longevity. With the fourth generation of MacAllisters now on board and an excellent team in place, the company has tremendous opportunity to continue growing and improving. We are thankful for all that our teammates have done and for the confidence our customers have placed in us. One hundred years, here we come!” 

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