Peterbilt is owned by PACCAR Inc, an American truck manufacturing group headquartered in Bellevue, Washington.

Quick Scoop: Who Owns Peterbilt?

  • Peterbilt Motors Company is a division/subsidiary of PACCAR.
  • PACCAR acquired Peterbilt in 1958 and has owned it ever since.
  • PACCAR also owns Kenworth and other commercial-vehicle brands, making it one of the major global truck manufacturers.
  • Peterbilt’s parent PACCAR is based in Bellevue, Washington, while Peterbilt itself is headquartered in Denton, Texas.

Mini background

  • Peterbilt was founded in 1939 by T.A. Peterman after buying Fageol Truck and Motor Company.
  • After Peterman’s death and a period of ownership by managers/investors, the company was sold to Pacific Car and Foundry (now PACCAR) in 1958.

Today’s setup

  • Officially, Peterbilt Motors Company operates as a PACCAR division focused on heavy‑ and medium‑duty trucks.
  • Peterbilt trucks are built mainly at PACCAR facilities in Denton, Texas and Sainte‑Thérèse, Quebec (with broader PACCAR manufacturing also in Mexicali, Mexico).

Simple ownership table

[3][5][7][8]
Brand Parent company Parent HQ Ownership note
Peterbilt Motors Company PACCAR Inc Bellevue, Washington, U.S. Division/subsidiary of PACCAR since 1958.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.