Solar Turbines

Solar Turbines Incorporated

Type	Private subsidiary
Industry	Oil and Gas Production and Transmission Power generation
Predecessor	Prudden-San Diego Airplane Company (1927-1929) Solar Airplane Company (1929-1960) Solar Division of International Harvester Company (1960-1981)
Founded	San Diego, California, United States (1927 (1927))
Founder	George Prudden et al.
Headquarters	San Diego, California, United States
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Pablo Koziner, President of Solar Turbines and Vice President, Caterpillar Inc.
Products	Titan 250 Titan 130 Mars 100 Mars 90 Taurus 70 Taurus 65 Taurus 60 Mercury 50 Centaur 50 Centaur 40 Saturn 20 Saturn 10
Services	Leasing Financing Maintenance Training
Number of employees	5,500
Parent	Caterpillar Inc.
Website	mysolar.cat.com
Footnotes / references

Solar Turbines Incorporated, a wholly owned subsidiary of Caterpillar Inc., designs and manufactures industrial gas turbines for onshore and offshore electrical power generation, for marine propulsion and for producing, processing and transporting natural gas and oil. Solar Turbines is one of the world's leading producers of industrial gas turbines up to 30,000 horsepower (22,000 kW). There are more than 15,000 Solar Turbines gas turbine systems installed in over 100 countries worldwide that have collectively logged more than 2 billion hours of use.

Founded in San Diego, California, United States in 1927 as Prudden-San Diego Airplane Company, the company initially designed, manufactured and sold airplanes.

After the departure of its founder, George H. Prudden, the company changed its name to Solar Aircraft Company in 1929.

The Great Depression of 1929 forced Solar Aircraft Company to re-focus its efforts into manufacturing aircraft components for other manufacturers. The company grew considerably during World War II and was forced to diversify into non-aircraft products due to the steep drop in business after the war.

Solar Aircraft Company's expertise in hard-to-manufacture parts able to withstand high-temperatures led to contracts to produce jet engine components. Solar Aircraft began to design and manufacture completed turbine engines for the United States military for applications such as auxiliary power units,fuselages and rocket engine components of guided missiles. Solar Aircraft continued to expand its product line and grow its business until it was purchased by International Harvester Company in early 1960, becoming the Solar Division of International Harvester in 1963.

In 1973 the Solar Division of International Harvester exited the aerospace industry to focus solely on industrial turbines. In 1975 the development and manufacture of the Solar Division's radial engines was moved into a newly formed Radial Engines Group, renamed the Turbomach Division in 1980.