[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 38 (Wednesday, April 10, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E485-E486]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           ON THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF STEWART AND STEVENSON

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KEVIN BRADY

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 10, 2002

  Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today it gives me great pleasure to 
call attention to one of my constituent companies that celebrated its 
100th anniversary on April 5th, and would like for the rest of the 
House to join me in offering congratulations to Stewart & Stevenson 
Services, Inc., of Houston, Texas.
  Stewart & Stevenson Services, Inc., provides power systems, parts and 
services to the following industries: Military, Marine; Oil & Gas; 
Agriculture; Industrial; Highway & Transit; and Airline Ground Support 
as well as being the designer and manufacturer of the Family of Medium 
Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) with more than 16,000 built to date for the 
U.S. Army.
  The company traces its roots in wheeled vehicle manufacturing and 
support to its beginning when blacksmith C. Jim Stewart and carriage-
maker Joe R. Stevenson formed the company in 1902 in Houston. The 
company's wheeled vehicle products have evolved from this modest 
beginning as the technology has progressed through the 20th Century 
leading to the world's premiere medium tactical military truck--the 
FMTV.
  During a series of celebrations at their Houston headquarters as well 
as at their truck assembly facility in Sealy, Texas, and other 
locations in the United States, S&S employees and their guests will 
join in honoring one hundred years' of contributions to their military 
and commercial customers. It is great having them as constituents, and 
I wish them another one hundred years of success.
  Mr. Speaker, I won't go into all the details now, but I ask unanimous 
consent to include a history of Stewart & Stevenson in my remarks.

             History of Stewart & Stevenson Services, Inc.

       Stewart & Stevenson Services, Inc., a technology--driven, 
     billion-dollar, century old corporation headquartered in 
     Houston, Texas, has long been a leader in the design and 
     manufacture of specialty equipment for the oilfield, airline, 
     defense, and power generation industries. A major distributor 
     of industrial engines and equipment to a broad spectrum of 
     businesses worldwide, the company provides complete 24-hour 
     parts and service support of all of its product lines.
       The company was founded in 1902 when two enthusiastic, 
     young craftsmen committed their talents and resources--$300 
     each--to form a partnership. C. Jim Stewart, a blacksmith, 
     and Joe R. Stevenson, a carriage maker, signed a contract and 
     began business as C. Jim Stewart & Stevenson, Houston's first 
     ``carriage repair and horseshoeing parlor''.
       The venture thrived with hard work, integrity and a dogged 
     determination to get the job done right, even when others 
     said it couldn't be done. The original partnership agreement 
     clearly defined these principles, as well as the duties of 
     each ``pardner.'' Stewart was to do the blacksmith work and 
     Stevenson the woodworking, with the provision that ``both 
     shall do such things in and about said business which shall 
     be necessary.''
       The business expanded steadily and more craftsmen were 
     added to perform the ever-increasing workload. The two 
     partners made sure that the people they hired were not only 
     experts in their fields but willing to pitch in and help out 
     wherever needed, establishing a hiring policy that still 
     serves the company today.
       Handcrafted carriages, buggies and wagons were the pride of 
     the new organization. In 1905, the company was presented the 
     first opportunity to work on an automobile, a 24-horsepower 
     Dixie Flyer roadster built by Southern Motor Car Co. which 
     had been badly burned. The damage was so extensive that a 
     new, wooden four-door body was handcrafted and installed. 
     This job marked the transition from horseshoes to horse 
     power, and reminds today's employees of how essential 
     innovation and versatility are to Stewart & Stevenson's past 
     and to its future.
       By 1938, Stewart & Stevenson had built many vehicle bodies 
     and become a distributor for General Motors' trucks and 
     Detroit Diesel engines. The company became proficient at 
     coupling diesel engines to various pieces of equipment to 
     supply the agricultural, industrial, petroleum and marine 
     markets.
       One of Stewart & Stevenson's first government contracts was 
     to supply mobile diesel generators, capable of running on 
     Russian M-4 heavy fuel and operating in severe weather 
     conditions. The company was the second-largest supplier of 
     diesel generators under the ``Lend-Lease'' Program during 
     World War II. Other wartime projects included the overhaul of 
     thousands of U.S. Army trucks and jeeps and the remanufacture 
     of 4,000 diesel engines from Sherman Tanks.
       Throughout its history, Stewart & Stevenson has been 
     involved in mobile equipment and wheeled vehicles. From 
     overhauling Jeeps and tanks during World War II to building 
     sophisticated truck-mounted petroleum exploration systems and 
     the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles and rugged airport 
     ground support equipment, the company has established a solid 
     foundation based on a true, wheeled vehicle heritage.
       Today, Stewart & Stevenson is a billion dollar corporation 
     that consists of four major business segments: Specialty 
     Wheeled Vehicles, which consists of Stewart & Stevenson 
     Tactical Vehicle Systems, LP (TVS) and Stewart & Stevenson 
     TUG; Power Products, Petroleum Equipment, and Strategic 
     Operations. TVS manufactures the U.S. Army's most reliable 
     and capable off-road multipurpose trucks--the Family of 
     Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV). These include 2.5-and 5-ton 
     troop carriers, wreckers, cargo trucks, vans, dump trucks, 
     and a variety of specialty vehicles. Stewart & Stevenson TUG 
     manufactures aircraft ground support equipment that includes 
     aircraft tow tractors, pushback tractors, baggage tow 
     tractors, belt loaders, air start units, air conditioning 
     units and container loaders, as well as mobile railcar 
     movers, which are sold under the ``Rail King'' trademark.
       The Power Products segment designs, manufactures and sells 
     specialty equipment that utilizes power components for 
     numerous industries: petroleum, marine, on-highway, transit 
     (bus), power generation, and agriculture. The company serves 
     as distributor

[[Page E486]]

     of many of these power components, representing the products 
     of Detroit Diesel, Electro Motive Diesel 
     (EMD), Waukesha, Deutz, 
     Allison, Thermo King, John Deer 
     Hyster and Mercury MerCruiser. Its distribution 
     territory includes much of the southwestern and western U.S., 
     Mexico, and Central and South America.
       The Petroleum Equipment segment manufactures equipment for 
     the oil and gas exploration, production and well stimulation 
     industries. Products include marine riser systems, blow-out 
     preventers and controls, high pressure valves, coiled tubing 
     systems, acidizing and fracturing systems, and compression 
     molded rubber products. Strategic Operations designs, markets 
     and packages diesel and gas generator sets from the ground up 
     to fit specific customer applications. These generator power 
     systems use some of the most respected names in the engine 
     industry: EMD, Deutz, Waukesha 
     and Detroit Diesel.
       The more than 4,000 people employed by the corporation 
     today carry with them a tradition of service, innovation, 
     fair dealing and integrity, which began back in 1902.
       Stewart & Stevenson's growth through the past 100 years has 
     been achieved by virtue of its dedicated people, innovative 
     design and engineering, quality manufacturing and a 
     relentless ``can do'' attitude.

     

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