The Hercules Motors Corporation was located in Canton, OH. Established in 1915 it would become a major supplier of commercial truck and industrial engines.
Hercules engines were used by many of the independent truck manufacturers, which in turn were used by many fire apparatus manufacturers. Its smaller engines could also be found on fire apparatus powering equipment such as generators and engine driven pumps.
The Hercules Motors Corporation went out of business in 1999.
A new company was formed the same year, to provide parts and service to existing Hercules engines, it also supplied remanufactured engines. That company currently operates as Hercules Manufacturing. It does not have corporate ties to the original Hercules Motors Corporation.
Company History[]
The company was formed in 1915 to manufacture small industrial engines and truck engines. It quickly expanded into other markets providing engines for farm equipment, as well as the constriction and oil field markets. Hercules began to offer diesel engines in the 1930s.
During World War 2, Hercules would provide more than 750,000 engines to the U.S. military powering equipment such as generators and maintenance equipment to armored vehicles, trucks and small naval vessels. Military contracts would remain a major part of Hercules busines after the war, with as much as 85% of engine production going to the military in the later years of the company.
In 1958 Hercules acquired the Hall-Scott Motors Company, this acquisition provided them with larger truck engines than their current lineup possessed. It also provided them with a profitable parts and service market for Hall-Scott engines. In 1961 Hercules was acquired by the Hupp Corporation. In 1969 the Hupp Corporation was then acquired by White Trucks and Hercules operated as the White Trucks Engine Division. In 1976 the White Trucks Engine Division was sold becoming White Engines Inc. In 1987 White Engines Inc was sold and renamed Hercules Engines Inc. In 1999 Hercules Engines Inc ceased operations.