Oberhelman also highlighted a series of recent investments totaling more than $2.5 billion that will increase capacity in nearly all geographic regions around the world and will position Caterpillar to expand rapidly.
In just the last two months, Caterpillar has announced a series of investments to open new facilities, expand existing operations, develop a new mining shovel product line and expand into the locomotive business with the acquisition of Electro-Motive Diesel.
"These recent investments total more than $2.5 billion that Caterpillar is putting to work over the next several years in the United States, Brazil, China and India," Oberhelman said.
With 2009 sales and revenues of $32.396 billion, Caterpillar is the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines and industrial gas turbines.