Brand history
Our history of innovation starts in the early 1800s with Cyrus McCormick’s invention of the first mechanical reaper. In the nearly two centuries since — in the fields, over roads, through peace and war, and all the way to the moon — International has continued to be a part of driving North America’s growth.
From the field to the fast lane
As we’ve evolved during that time, so has our brand. We were first known as McCormick Harvesting Machine Co., in honor of our founder and his signature invention. The reaper’s impact on America’s development was so extraordinary that in 1865 it was immortalized in the nearly 5,000-foot fresco in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington D.C. When McCormick's son took over and merged our business with competitors in 1902, we became International Harvester and grew our business beyond the reaper to include engines, tractors, pickup trucks, military vehicles and even refrigerators.
In 1986 we sold off many of our divisions, as well as the International Harvester name and logo, and became Navistar International Corporation with a focus on commercial vehicles. In 2021, we were purchased by the TRATON Group, joining Scania, MAN and Volkswagen Truck & Bus.
Discover our history
And now, as we move towards achieving our vision of accelerating the impact of sustainable mobility, we’re doing so as International. More than a hundred years after its creation, we’ve refreshed and modernized our most well-known and recognized product brand to stand for our entire group and all that we want to accomplish as a company, and as a steadfast partner to our dealers and customers.
