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September 2010

Bobcat Company mourns the death of Cliff Melroe

Cliff Melroe (left) with Sylvan Melroe and Gov. John Hoeven at the Bobcat 50th Anniversary celebration in Gwinner, summer 2008.


Statement from Rich Goldsbury, president of Bobcat Americas and Oceania

“The entire Bobcat family is saddened by the death of Cliff Melroe, who served as president of Melroe Manufacturing Company from 1955 to 1970. Cliff; his brothers Lester, Roger, and Irving; and their brother-in-law Eugene Dahl were instrumental in launching the Melroe self-propelled loader, which later became the first Bobcat machine. Melroe Manufacturing Company is known throughout the Upper Great Plains for several other innovations as well, all of which changed the way people work.

“We are losing a generation of individuals who had tremendous influence on the compact equipment industry. They formed the foundation for the Bobcat Company we know today. Cliff, as president of Melroe Manufacturing Company at the time, helped move forward the vision of what the self-propelled loader could become and the effects it would have on several trades driven by manual labor. Now you can hardly visit a working farm or construction site without finding a skid-steer loader or other piece of compact machinery, and a great deal of it is Bobcat-branded.

“Cliff also helped us establish our exceptional global dealer network, working directly with many who are still representing Bobcat as family-owned enterprises.

“Over the years, we have recognized Cliff, Lester, Roger, Irving, Eugene and others for their contributions to the industry, our organization and the state of North Dakota, and we will continue to ensure people remember the influence they had.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Melroe family.”