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This year marked the centennial celebration of Braden, a brand within the PACCAR Winch family. To commemorate the milestone, the company hosted a three-day event featuring a customer invitational golf scramble and a comprehensive conference. The event brought together suppliers, OEMs, distributors and other special guests for a blend of fun, education and collaboration.
Participants from across the United States and countries including Canada, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Abu Dhabi and Malaysia gathered to gain insights into the company’s strategic direction. The event provided detailed presentations on operations, engineering, sales, and marketing. The celebration concluded with tours of PACCAR Winch manufacturing facilities in Okmulgee and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.
During the conference, presentations underscored PACCAR Winch’s commitment to excellence and value. Notable speakers included Michael Rogers, president and general manager; Michael Hopper, director of sales; Quentin Vanderlaan, chief engineer; Jim Braden, vice president of sales and marketing; and Paula Bell, marketing manager.
The event set the stage for future innovations at Braden, highlighting the company’s focus on customer-driven engineering, quality assurance, and serviceability. Braden aimed to develop custom configurations to meet the diverse needs of industries such as utility, oil and gas, trailer and towing, construction, forestry, drilling, marine, and military.
Networking opportunities throughout the week fostered collaboration and provided valuable market insights. Discussions addressed industry challenges, customer needs, and PACCAR Winch’s comprehensive offerings across its Braden, Carco, and Gearmatic brands.
Plant tours showcased the company’s dedication to quality and continuous improvement, featuring new tooling, advanced CNC machining, and wireless coordinate measurement machines. These innovations aimed to enhance worker safety, increase efficiency, and reduce waste.
Highlights of the event included a golf scramble with more than 60 players at Cherokee Hills Golf Course, a keynote luncheon with Marcus Aurelius Anderson discussing leadership and adversity, and a dinner reception celebrating Braden’s 100th anniversary. Broken Arrow Mayor Debra Wimpee highlighted the company’s economic impact and commitment to the community.
