We voted… and Josh’s Sno Shack in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma might make the best snow cones in America! The Manufacturing Express visited the PACCAR Winch facility today, and if you were here, you’d agree that the frozen treats were second to none. The whole day was a treat as the 250 men and women of PACCAR Winch came together to celebrate the achievements of the Broken Arrow manufacturing community.
The occasion marked a notable milestone: the 100th anniversary of the Braden brand. An Oklahoma company since the beginning, Glenn T. Braden began producing winches in 1924 to support the booming Tulsa-area oil industry. 1947 saw Braden break ground on a state-of-the-art factory in Broken Arrow. PACCAR acquired Braden in 1977 and this facility has been home to industry-leading winch, hoist, and drive manufacturing for generations. Today, PACCAR Winch produces equipment under the Braden, Carco, and Gearmatic brands, with applications across the utility, construction, forestry, drilling, and military industries—all right here in Broken Arrow.
PACCAR Winch isn’t just a local business; it’s a vital component of the city’s economic engine. The company is a significant employer in northeastern Oklahoma and has been for nearly a century. Especially in times of economic hardship, PACCAR Winch has provided stability and prosperity to the people of Broken Arrow. Mayor Debra Wimpee agreed: “In many ways, PACCAR saved this city,” Wimpee said. In return, the people of Broken Arrow have been loyal to PACCAR Winch: there are multi-generational families that work at this facility. This city and the equipment manufacturing community support one another, and their bond continues to grow stronger.
Broken Arrow is more than just a manufacturing town. “Broken Arrow is the manufacturing hub of Oklahoma,” Lieutenant Governor Matt Pinnell said. “And you can’t talk about ‘Made in America’ without ‘Made in Oklahoma.’ Worldwide distribution of their equipment has led PACCAR Winch to serve as an ambassador for Oklahoma on the world stage. From Nova Scotia to New Zealand, the PACCAR Winch family of brands—Braden, Carco, and Gearmatic—have become synonymous with reliability, efficiency, and power.
The equipment that’s in demand all over the world begins right here in Broken Arrow, and the folks at PACCAR Winch never take their eye off the ball. As the Lieutenant Governor noted, Oklahoma manufacturing means quality, and the men and women who manufacture Oklahoma products are the ones building that reputation. At PACCAR Winch, they achieve the best possible outcome only by rigorously maintaining the best possible process. That’s the philosophy behind a century of success for the Braden brand, and for PACCAR Winch as a whole: work hard, do your part, and the rest will fall into place.
Here in Broken Arrow, everyone does their part. The friends and neighbors of this tight-knit community support one another—and at PACCAR Winch, the same paradigm holds. Each and every day, these 250 men and women put their heads together, pool their efforts, and create the equipment that put Broken Arrow, Oklahoma on the map. Together, the people of PACCAR Winch are accomplishing incredible things.
