For the past 60 years Zahid Tractor has been providing world-class engineering equipment and state-of-the-art expertise to Saudi Arabia’s powerhouse industries, which include construction, mining, oil, and agriculture. And in providing this support it has played a role jointly with its clients in supporting the development of the Kingdom into the highly modern, self-sustaining and truly diversified economy that it is today. Within one lifetime, the Kingdom has totally transformed itself – thanks to the stunning performance of its construction industry in building the country’s world-class infrastructure of airports, shipping ports, dams, bridges, tunnels, railway lines, and road networks – all of which have enabled an unprecedented industrial expansion
In response to growing client demand for construction equipment and power generators, Zahid Tractor joined forces with one of the biggest and best known names in the industry, Caterpillar, a company it has partnered with for all of those past 60 years.
Fahad Yousef Zahid, Executive Vice President of Zahid Tractor, headed a company delegation to the Caterpillar EAME headquarters in Geneva on January 19, 2011, where upon receiving a celebratory plaque from Paolo Fellin, Caterpillar’s EAME Vice President on behalf of Zahid Tractor, he commented “this plaque stands as a beacon to the great Zahid/Caterpillar partnership”, to which Paolo Fellin added, “Zahid has indeed made enormous strides in the last few years, to the extent that they are considered as a Benchmark within the EAME family of Dealers today”.
Zahid has for six decades represented the face of Caterpillar, both sharing a pioneering spirit, a commitment to both quality and their customers, and a pride of purpose.
Also in attendance from Zahid Tractor were Yousef Bseiso (Managing Director Construction Machinery), Yousuf Talal Zahid (Regional Sales Manager, Central), and Haytham Waleed Zahid (Regional Sales Manager, Eastern). Caterpillar was also represented by Christian Dillier (AME Region Manager Geneva), Chris Hathaway (Dubai District Office Manager), and all of the Caterpillar Geneva Department Heads.
In Saudi Arabia, Zahid Tractor marked the 60-year anniversary with a series of national events, where more than a 1,000 customers from across the Kingdom joined in the celebration of this occasion. Special open house events were held in Zahid’s Jeddah, Dammam, Riyadh, and Abha regional branches in the last three months.
It all started in 1950, when Zahid teamed-up with Caterpillar, the world’s largest manufacturer of construction equipment and diesel engines. This was the ‘bridgehead’ that supplied the young Saudi Arabian economy with state-of-the-art methodologies and equipment, supporting homegrown contractors who were busy creating world-class projects.
Today, Zahid and Caterpillar have created one of the largest heavy machinery dealerships in the world. They provide fully integrated solutions to the Kingdom’s requirements in this new, challenging infrastructure development and expansion environment. Caterpillar continues to see Saudi Arabia as among the largest and most strategically important markets.
In his most recent visit to the Kingdom, the Caterpillar Chairman at the time, Dr. Jim Owens said; “It gives me a great sense of pride in Caterpillar’s partnership with Zahid Tractor, a long and lasting association, that has enabled us to be part of the growth and development of this great nation.” Dr. Owens, who serves as an economic advisor to the Obama Administration, commended the Kingdom’s development projects as key components in the Saudi Government’s efforts to grow the economy.
And so, Zahid Tractor and Caterpillar look forward to the next 60 years and beyond with great hope and aspiration.
