Fiatallis

A Fiatallis FR15B wheel loader in Montana, 2003.

Another Fiatallis wheel loader, Missouri, 2002.

Fiat-Allis (1974 to 1985), later renamed Fiatallis (1985 to early 1990s), was a brand of heavy equipment (also called construction equipment, earthmoving equipment, or engineering vehicles), such as loaders, bulldozers, backhoes, scrapers, and graders. It began in 1974, when Allis-Chalmers's construction equipment business was reorganized into a joint venture with Fiat SpA,^[1][2] which bought a 65% majority stake at the outset.^[2]

Allis-Chalmers's construction equipment business was often not profitable during the 1950s and 1960s. It faced stiff competition from companies such as Caterpillar, Case, Euclid, John Deere, Fiat MMT, and others. The 1974 formation of a new company, Fiat-Allis, was essentially a divestment.

Over the next decade, Fiat continued to invest in Fiat-Allis, more so than Allis-Chalmers did. The two parent firms disagreed on decisions made at, and about, Fiat-Allis. In 1985, the joint venture ended. Fiat bought out Allis's remaining minority stake (which had shrunk from its original 35%). Fiat renamed the company Fiatallis.^[3]

Fiat-Hitachi FH240LC trackhoe.

Cooperation with Hitachi yielded Fiat-Hitachi branding for some years. Fiatallis was eventually sold to CNH, of which Fiat is a major stockholder. CNH retired the Fiatallis brand and merged the company's assets with others from Case and New Holland Machine Company. CNH's construction equipment line is called New Holland Construction.

References

Notes

1. Buescher 1991, p. 316.
2. Dean 2001, p. 134.
3. Haycraft 2000, p. 278.

Cited sources

• Buescher, Walter M. (1991), Plow Peddler, Macomb, Illinois, USA: Glenbridge Publishing, ISBN 978-0-944435-18-2. A memoir by a man who worked for Allis-Chalmers company for over 30 years as a sales representative and sales manager.
• Dean, Terry (2001), Allis-Chalmers Tractors and Crawlers, Illustrated Buyer's Guide Series, Motorbooks International (Voyageur Press), ISBN 978-0760309407.
• Haycraft, William R. (2000), Yellow Steel: The Story of the Earthmoving Equipment Industry, University of Illinois Press, ISBN 978-0252071041.