On September 29, US-based industrial equipment manufacturer Caterpillar Inc. announced that it will produce mini hydraulic excavator models in the under 8-ton range at a new facility to be built in Wujiang, China.
The company said that the decision is in line with its plans to expand its manufacturing presence in China to further position the company to meet growing customer demand in the country. The facility will be part of Caterpillar's Building Construction Products (BCP) Division, which has manufacturing operations in the United States, Japan, Brazil and the United Kingdom.
"China is the world's largest market for excavators in the below 8-ton class, and the development of this new facility will better position Caterpillar to provide our customers in China with solutions that will help them succeed," said Mary Bell, Caterpillar vice president of the Building Construction Products Division.
Work on the new facility in Wujiang is expected to begin in late 2010 pending approvals from governmental officials in Jiangsu Province. The company expects to begin producing mini excavators in Wujiang in 2012.