History of West Virginia Tractor Company
In 1936 our predecessor company, West Virginia Tractor & Equipment Co., evolved from Basham Equipment Co. The founder and president was L.C. Basham, who continued to operate the business until his death in 1968. His four sons operated the business until they retired in 1982, when the third generation formed West Virginia Tractor Company with Gary Grady as president, Steve Basham and Ed Basham as vice presidents, and Susan Hill as secretary and treasurer. Ed and Susan have since left the company. Steve is still an employee of the company, but is no longer an officer.
The primary focus of our predecessor companies was selling and servicing construction and mining equipment throughout West Virginia. In the 1950’s the company began representing some of the top municipal equipment manufacturers, including Leach and Elgin in 1956 and Vactor in 1968.
The late 1970’s and the early 1980’s were very difficult times in the mining and construction equipment fields. So, West Virginia Tractor began to focus on governmental sales with Elgin, Leach, and Vactor as the primary accounts. When our largest customer, The West Virginia Division of Highways, began to update its equipment fleet, we took on new construction equipment lines to better help our customers.
West Virginia Tractor Company moved to a more modern facility a few blocks from the intersection of three Interstate highways in 1992. Throughout our nearly ninety years as a company, we have always been headquartered in Charleston, the capital and center of commerce of West Virginia.
The main equipment lines we represent include New Way refuse trucks, Elgin street sweepers, Vactor and US Jetting sewer and culvert cleaners, Galbreath/Wastequip roll-off trucks and refuse/recycling equipment, RC Mowers, E.D. Etnyre asphalt equipment, Hi-Way material spreaders.
Current employees are: Michael Grady, president/general manager; Christopher Grady, vice president – inside sales; Jennifer Grady, accounting/office manager; Mark Casto, and Kolby Burdette, service; Benjamin Grady, administrative assistant; Laura Casto, Jeremy Martin and Steve Basham, parts specialists.
Our area of service for our accounts is the state of West Virginia.