Tractor & Equipment Co. celebrated the grand opening of its second facility in Williston recently with a barbecue, ribbon cutting and open house.
The 42,100 square foot building called “Williston North” is located on 50 acres in the Bakken Industrial Park (221 Niehenke Street between Grainger and Love’s Travel Stop.) The facility is housed on 10 acres, there are 10 acres of yard space and the remaining 30 is dedicated to future development.
“In the last few years, we’ve been greatly expanding our staffing levels and inventories, as well as investing in employee housing units. This second facility was a logical next step as we successfully partner with our Williston-area customers now and for years to come,” said Don Linn, Vice President of Service in a recent news release.
Williston North is now the headquarters for equipment rental; agricultural sales, parts, and service; and Caterpillar generator/engine sales. The expansion is particularly significant because it is happening close to the company’s original location.
“This is special because it’s near T&E’s roots in Sidney,” said Scott Field, Marketing Manager for Harnish Group Inc.
T&E was formed as a Caterpillar Dealer in 1929 by JJ Neihenke in Sidney, MT. Since its modest beginnings in the back of a blacksmith’s shop, the company has become one of the leading Cat dealerships in North America, operating in five states. It is also the largest rental equipment company in the Bakken with approximately 700 units; they provide everything from Cat heavy equipment to mobile generators, scissor lifts and light towers.
Don Coleman has been overseeing The CAT Rental Store for the past two and a half years. The 59-year-old moved to Williston from northern California shortly after he attempted to “retire.”
“My brother follows oil booms and he came out here from Anchorage about a year before me,” Coleman said. “After he got here he advised me strongly to come out and buy some property. I did, and we bought two lots next to each other.”
Colemans later built homes in the Creekside Ridge Subdivision. Don’s brother also works for T&E.
Coleman, who grew up in the construction industry, had his own company in California where he was a general engineering contractor. He was planning to retire two-and-a-half years ago, but the lure of the booming oil and gas industry was too strong to ignore.
“This is where the opportunity is. Everybody in the nation knows about Williston. They say, That’s where people go to build homes, serve at restaurants, work in the oil fields,” Coleman says.
T&E’s expansion will help them keep up the booming construction, oil and gas and agriculture industries. The main shop is 24,300 square feet and has 12 service repair bays for rental fleet repair and maintenance. Williston North also has added a lot of space for agriculture service, parts and equipment.
“We have greatly enhanced our ability to provide our Agricultural customers the very highest levels of support. We’ve hired additional Agricultural parts specialists and significantly increased Agricultural parts inventories in our new 6,600 sq. ft. warehouse as we strive to help our Gleaner, Challenger, Ag-Chem, Messey Ferguson, LEXION, and Seed Hawk customers succeed,” said John W. Harnish, Vice President of parts in a recent press release.
In addition to Williston North, T&E has been acquiring housing for its 120 employees; they currently have 47 mobile homes and two apartment complexes.
T&E’s original location, T&E West, will continue to be the headquarters for CAT machinery sales, parts, and service; Cat generator/engine parts and service; Cat vocational truck sales; Cat truck engines.
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