About

Our History

In 1995, Kalmar started a project called RTCH, or Rough Terrain Container Handler.  The objective was to develop and produce machines for the US Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM). The Kalmar Rough Terrain Center (KRTC) was later established in August 1999 in Cibolo, Texas, and started as a one-building facility designed to support RTCH production that was headquartered in Lidhult, Sweden.

 The concept of the RTCH was simple: design a machine that could handle ISO shipping containers in rough terrain, providing heavy lift logistics in a containerized format.  The RTCH could go where the Army went around the globe, and also provide road mobility with a self-deployable vehicle capable of 23 mph for long distances.  Additionally, the vehicle had to fit inside a C-17 Globemaster cargo aircraft, with an added capability of US Highway movement with a transport height of below 13’6” to avoid height permits and expand the number of roads that could handle the RTCH.  The result of a significant design effort was the RT240 RTCH.

In April 2000, Kalmar received a contract with TACOM to manufacture the RT240 RTCH.  Over the years, KRTC was awarded three additional contracts for vehicle maintenance, field service support, and aftermarket parts sales. In October 2008, KRTC was awarded a second 5-year contract with the US Department of Defense for manufacturing the RTCH, and OEM production moved to the Cibolo, Texas facility.  The RT240 production run continues today with over 1,325 RTCHs manufactured and over 225 units rebuilt by the OEM.

Changing markets and corporate priorities led Kalmar to self the Rough Terrain Center in July 2018.  Backed by two Dallas based private equity firms supporting a management buyout, the business was renamed the Independent Rough Terrain Center. IRTC is now a federally recognized small business the company retains its product and service focus on rough terrain cargo handling devoted to the Military and Commercial markets. 

IRTC has taken the city of Cibolo’s mascot, the buffalo or “Cibolo” in Native America as its new brand label.  Military contracts supporting the fielded RTCH fleet are the company’s main effort, but the company is now finding new ways to field a commercial RTCH have combined to produce a two pronged business strategy.  Currently, the RTCH is fielded in commercial Frac fleets, becoming a workhorse for the growing containerized frac sand industry.  In May of 2018, the RT240 RTCH fraced its first oil well, moving over 1,000 cans, each weighing 50,000lbs, in just under 55 hours.

Independent RT Center is a true OEM with experience in design, fielding, and support to specialized rough terrain material handling products.  Past vehicles manufactured in Cibolo, Texas include the RT022 Light Capability Rough Terrain Forklift and the Kalmar Forklift Medium.  This mix of products and markets gives Independent Rough Terrain Center a decided advantage when it comes to product development.

Independent is committed to finding customer solutions that enable heavy lift in rough, unimproved terrain.  Our products perform in the most challenging ground conditions where other equipment cannot hold up and perform.  Independent RT Center is a federal small business and employs approximately 80 employees and its facility includes four buildings on 13.6 acres in Cibolo, Texas.  Like the young American nation in 1776, Independent Rough Terrain Center has a vast wilderness to conquer with a limitless spirit and capability to design a business strategy to enable it to reach its full potential.

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