Kenworth Evolution 1923 2023

The Kenworth Motor Truck Company was founded in 1923 from the production base of the Gersix Motor Co. as a joint stock company by American entrepreneurs Harry Kent and Edgar Worthington in Seattle, Washington.

The plant immediately began production of trucks under the Kenworth brand. In 1924, 80 light vehicles were built and sold, a year after the foundation, two trucks a week were assembled on the line.

In 1926, the Kenworth Motor Truck Company opened a workshop (line) for the production of chassis for passenger buses.

In 1929, Harry Kent succeeded Edgar Worthington as president of the Kenworth Motor Truck Co. By that time, sales were going well, demand exceeded supply, and the company felt the need to expand its production facilities.

In 1930, it was possible to build and launch a full production cycle at a new truck assembly plant in Seattle.

The global economic crisis of the late 1920s and the Great Depression in the United States slowed down the steady growth of the company. Demand for products fell, banks demanded the return of interest on loans. Nevertheless, thanks to constant modernization of production chains and a policy of aggressive marketing, Kenworth managers managed to get municipal orders for the design and construction of fire engines and buses.
In 1933, Kenworth became the first American company to install diesel engines on its series products. Since diesel fuel was much cheaper in the United States at that time [2] gasoline, the company's "diesels" were in steady demand and became the leader in sales in the American automobile market. The company's business took off, and this marked the beginning of the development and production of the well-known line of trucks, buses and special vehicles "Kenworth" with a diesel engine.

In 1936 the Kenworth Motor Truck Co. designed and produced its first cabover truck (Eng. Cab Over Engine). These trucks proved to be extremely efficient and were able to carry the maximum amount of cargo with the minimum overall length.

In 1937, Phil Johnson became president of Kenworth, replacing the suddenly deceased Harry Kent.

Production continued to grow, and in 1940, 226 cars were built and sold.

Immediately after the entry of the United States into World War II in 1941, Kenworth converted its assembly lines to military needs. In the shortest possible time, a 6x6 off-road truck was designed and put into mass production. The company produces 430 M-1 "Wreckers" trucks for the US Army, equipped with winches, cranes, gas welding and field repair accessories.

By the end of the war, Kenworth received an additional order for the production of another 1,500 M1 units of various modifications.

Military trucks and the Kenworth M1 recovery vehicle on a 6x6 chassis, along with the legendary Studebaker US6, after the war, set the direction for the development of all such developments in this area for many years to come around the world.

In 1944, the owners' widows decided to sell a controlling stake in the Kenworth Motor Truck Co. As a result of the auction, the president of Pacific Car and Foundry, Paul Pigot, bought out a controlling stake. Since then, Kenworth has been part of a multinational corporation.