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In 1933, B.C. Patten Sr. established his business with a simple philosophy: to deliver a superior standard of customer satisfaction by providing quality products and unparalleled after-sale services. In doing so, Patten instilled great company pride and a high level of self esteem.
 Over the years, Patten has thrived as an environment where dedication and quality are admired and rewarded. In 1933, Patten Tractor had a single service shop and 16 highly-skilled employees. Today, Patten Industries covers parts of two states, has three divisions, seven locations and employs 600 highly-skilled employees.
Patten has a rich history, stretching over seven decades.
 Seventy-one years ago, Patten came into being when B.C. Patten Sr. purchased the W.B. Louer Co. in Chicago, which was the original Caterpillar dealer in the area. Patten took over the facilities and offices located on Chicago's Jefferson St. and continued selling and servicing Caterpillar equipment used in the construction of many of the city's major projects ranging from Midway Airport and Soldier Field to the Outer Drive extension. Patten soon outgrew the Louer facilities, and within two years moved to a 20,000 square-foot remodeled forging plant on Kolmar Ave., also in Chicago.
Patten was active during WWII, furnishing equipment to the Armed Forces to aid in the war effort. By the end of the war, Patten had expanded to the point that new facilities were required to handle future growth.
In 1945, ground was broken for a new Chicago-area headquarters, at Bellwood, which was to be the first heavy equipment sales and service center ever built in this country for that expressed purpose.
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With the rapid growth of the Rockford area and potential for increased business in Northern Illinois, Patten opened a facility there in 1949. A branch dealership in Hammond was next on the agenda, opening there in 1956.
 Patten's growth continued, so in 1959 Patten acquired 15 acres of the former Elmhurst airport, and began construction on new facilities there to replace the Bellwood headquarters. By 1966, nearly 3 acres of sales, parts, and service were under roof in Elmhurst, the new headquarters, and the company was renamed Patten Industries, Inc. B.C. Patten Jr. assumed ownership of the company the following year.
In 1968, the Rockford branch moved into a larger store and a facility was opened in Oglesby. In 1975, Patten Power Systems opened its own headquarters building in Elmhurst.
 In 1985, Crane Patten, B.C.'s son, purchased the company. He opened a new Patten facility in Waukegan in 1988. Within three years it had outgrown the space and was moved to Grayslake.
In the following years, Patten started Patten Rental Service, realizing not all customers have a need to purchase equipment. The CAT Rental Store has been opened at five locations: Elmhurst, Elburn,
Grayslake, Joliet and, most recently, Oglesby. Each carries CAT equipment, plus a great deal more. In the past five years, Patten has introduced Cat's new line of compact construction equipment to accommodate an exponentially growing customer base of small contractors, landscapers, and homeowners. As our customers grow, so do we. Patten's fourth generation leader, Garret G. Patten, has recently joined the management team. The company's success has always sprung from the innovation and stability of its leaders. You can count on Patten for the long haul.
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