In 1924, Albert Olson, a Regina district telephone line contractor moved into the road machinery business, buying the agency for the Russell Grader Manufacturing Co. of Minneapolis, Minnesota. On April 15, 1925, the merger of two highly competitive U.S. west coast companies, Holt Manufacturing Company and C.L. Best Traction Company took place. These two companies had grown with the mechanization of grain harvesting and by 1924 both had already developed a gasoline-powered, self-propelled crawler tractor. The name of the new company was Caterpillar Tractor Co. In 1928 Caterpillar bought the Russell Grader Company and Albert Olson became the first Caterpillar dealer in Saskatchewan. He then sold the first diesel-powered Caterpillar track-type tractors to contractors and municipalities, and recalled, “at one time we had a Cat built tractor working on farms in every direction out of Regina.

   Robert (Bob) A. Kramer was raised near Coaldale, Alberta. In partnership with his father-in-law, F.S. Mannix, he moved into the dirt moving business. One needs to recall that in the late 1920s the work was laboriously done with fresnos and teams of horses. In 1925 the partnership offered bought sixty tractors to pull elevating graders. These gasoline-powered crawlers were among the first in western Canada. Three years later, Caterpillar offered the first crawler tractors powered by diesel engines – giving that company a lead it has never lost in the earth moving industry.

   By 1944 contractors involved in building roads, airports, pipelines and railway grades during the Second World War were finding machines in short supply. Bob Kramer, in search of purchase of machines, arrived at Albert Olson Co. Ltd. to find that while there were no machines available, the dealership itself was for sale. Releasing his shares in the Mannix & Kramer partnership combined with a loan from the Bank of Nova Scotia enabled Bob Kramer to raise sufficient capital to establish himself as a Caterpillar dealer. On June 1, 1944, he put his signature to the Caterpillar franchise.

   Clarence Church, the western Canadian representative of Caterpillar Tractor Co., and living in Moose Jaw, along with Thomas Kramer, younger brother of Bob Kramer, formed the partnership in the new firm of Kramer-Church Tractor Company. That year a Saskatoon branch was established with Tom Kramer as manager. The partnership dissolved just three years later on the sudden death of Clarence Church.

   Donald Kramer, eldest of five children born to Alice and Bob Kramer, spent his summers operating tractors for his father’s construction firm. The dealership brought Bob’s family to Regina, and Don began studies in mechanical engineering at the University of Saskatchewan, convocating in 1948. Following graduation, Don travelled the Tisdale, Melfort, Hudson Bay territory as a salesman for the Kramer Tractor Company Ltd. later establishing a branch in the town of Tisdale. Leaving Tisdale in 1957, he became the Cat Engine Sales Engineer at the Regina Branch. The following year he was appointed General Sales Manager. In May 1965 a new branch was opened in Saskatoon and after 21 years of loyal service, Tom Kramer retired from the firm.

   Planning for a new site near Regina began, but was delayed due to the economic conditions in western Canada in the early 1970’s. In 1977 a new building was officially opened effectively providing for both a head office for the company as well as branch operations for southern Saskatchewan. Robert A. Kramer, whose vision inspired the company, retired in 1980, and the company name changed to Kramer Tractor Ltd. with Don Kramer becoming president.

   In 1978 Timothy R. Kramer, the third of five children of Don and Claire Kramer, started to work for the company after graduating from the University of Saskatchewan. In 1991 the company name was changed to Kramer Ltd. to reflect the changing product lines. In 1995, after working in various departments within the company, Timothy Kramer became president and Donald Kramer was named the Chairman of the Board.

   Throughout the past sixty years Kramer has grown with Saskatchewan’s resource-based economy serving the industries of road building, mining, oil and natural gas, forestry, on-highway trucks, electrical power generation, material handling and agriculture. Kramer’s customers range from major multi-national corporations and family-run construction companies to family-owned and operated farms.

   Kramer currently operates complete parts, sales and service facilities in Regina, Saskatoon, Tisdale, Swift Current, Estevan, Kindersley, and North Battleford.