Fabick Cat’s century-plus run as an independent Cat dealer is coming to an end as Caterpillar will acquire all 37 of its locations across Wisconsin, Missouri, Illinois and Michigan.
The agreement, announced September 29, reflects “a customer-focused decision to support a seamless transition of Fabick ownership while maintaining the strong service and local support customers know and value today," Caterpillar said.
Caterpillar has the ultimate authority over dealer succession plans and approved Fabick Cat’s request to remove Doug Fabick as its dealer principal in 2022. Doug Fabick led Fabick Cat from 2000 to 2022. He was replaced by his cousin, Jeré Fabick, who had served as president and co-dealer principal since 2015.
His dismissal sparked a legal battle over his 63% controlling stake in the company, which he was forced to sell in 2024.
Earlier this year, Doug Fabick was charged with two counts of aggravated assault in Florida after an alleged armed standoff with local police. Legal proceedings for the case are ongoing.
According to a Caterpillar spokesperson, Fabick Cat will not be the only Caterpillar-owned dealership. The company also owns Nippon Caterpillar Ltd. (NCL), the largest Cat dealer in Japan.
Powered byThe agreement requires approval by regulatory authorities and is subject to other customary closing conditions. The transaction is expected to close within 30 days. No additional details were released.
Commenting on the acquisition, Caterpillar Chairman and CEO Joe Creed said: “Caterpillar and Cat dealers share a common mission of solving our customers’ toughest challenges. We look forward to continuing to work with the Fabick team to build on a century of success, further strengthen the customer experience and drive long-term growth across the service territory.”
Fabick Cat was founded in 1917 by John Fabick Sr., and by 1927, it was named the exclusive Caterpillar dealer for the St. Louis region. In 2015, Fabick Cat merged with Fabco Equipment out of Milwaukee. At the time, Doug Fabick served as president and COO of Fabick Cat, and Jeré Fabick served as president and CEO of Fabco.
Fabick employs more than 1,200 people across 37 locations in Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma, Michigan and Wisconsin.
“We’re incredibly proud of our team and the customer relationships we’ve built over the past 100 years,” said Jeré Fabick, chairman, CEO and dealer principal of Fabick.
Fabick COO Todd Stanley added, “We are excited for this next chapter with Caterpillar. This will enhance our ability to provide our customers with unmatched services, technology and expertise.”
