SOLAR TURBINES

Solar Turbines was founded in 1927 as Prudden-San Diego Airplane Company. Renamed Solar Aircraft Company in 1929, the company began pioneering then-difficult techniques of fabricating high-temperature materials, such as stainless-steel exhaust manifolds for airplane engines. During World War II, Solar was a vital defense company working around the clock to make more than 300,000 exhaust manifolds for U.S. airplanes. During the war Solar was selected to help pioneer the development of critical high-temperature components for a revolutionary new type of powerplant-the aviation gas turbine (jet engine). Although no one probably could have realized it, Solar was then taking its first small steps in a decades-long journey to becoming the world leader in industrial gas turbines and turbomachinery packages.

In the decades that followed, Solar developed the Saturn gas turbine, which entered production in 1960. As Saturn turbine packages gained acceptance, particularly in the oil and gas and the telecommunications industries, it became apparent that there were market opportunities for a more powerful gas turbine. Work then began in the mid-1960s on the Centaur gas turbine, which entered service in 1968 at 2700 hp. After 46 years, Solar left the aircraft/aerospace industry in 1973 to concentrate its resources on gas turbines, turbomachinery systems, and support services.

In 1981, Solar's assets were purchased by Caterpillar Tractor Co. (now Caterpillar Inc.). Solar Turbines continued its efforts to develop more powerful gas turbines. Most recently, in 1997, Solar Turbines announced the development of the 17,800 hp Titan 130 industrial gas turbine.

As Solar Turbines advances toward the 21st Century, it ranks as the world leader in industrial turbines up to 25,000 hp. We have sold over 10,000 gas turbine systems that are operating on land and offshore to provide rugged, reliable power for base-load electricity, cogeneration, and standby power; producing, processing, and transporting natural gas and oil; and marine propulsion,

Solar's gas turbines have logged over 625,000,000 operating hours of experience. And we're continuously working to improve our products and develop the advanced technologies, products, and services that our customers will need to meet their future requirements.

Please visit their website at www.solarturbines.com.