January Spotlight Member of the Month

Caterpillar-Americas Operations Division-East Peoria

901 W. Washington

East Peoria

Website:  www.cat.com

Description of business:  For more than 80 years, Caterpillar Inc. has been making progress possible and driving positive and sustainable change on every continent.  Caterpillar is the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines and industrial gas turbines.  Caterpillar’s signature product, the track-type tractor, is designed and manufactured at the East Peoria facility.  

What is unique about your operation?  East Peoria is the worldwide source for large track-type tractors (D9-D11 models).  East Peoria will also manufacture the new electric drive tractor- the D7E (see below).

Did you know? The East Peoria facility sits on 670 Acres, 104 acres under roof (4.5 million square feet)  

What recent news release about your business would you like to share?  Showcasing Its Commitment to the Environment and Its Customers:

PEORIA, Ill. – Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) today (Dec. 22, 2009) presented the keys of the first innovative AC electric drive track-type tractor in the industry to long-time customer, TJ Lambrecht. The revolutionary electric drive system developed for track-type tractors gives the D7E an unmatched combination of power, sustainability, control and maneuverability.

“Our customers are being challenged to do their work more efficiently with less impact on the environment,” said Caterpillar Group President, Doug Oberhelman. “The D7E demonstrates Caterpillar’s commitment to the industry with a machine that does more work and consumes less fuel and parts, providing customers with lower owning and operating costs.” Oberhelman was recently named Caterpillar Vice Chairman effective January 1, 2010.

TJ Lambrecht, headquartered in Joliet, Illinois, is one of the most recognized heavy, civil,

and earthmoving contractors in the country, with one of the largest and most current fleets of Caterpillar equipment.

“Caterpillar has been a great partner over the years, and we have a solid relationship with

our dealers,” said Dan Klingberg, President, TJ Lambrecht.

“Case in point was the opportunity to demo the D7E at our O’Hare Modernization Project jobsite this past summer. We think it’s going to help us mitigate fluctuations in fuel prices, as well as address the growing scope of emissions regulations. Our whole organization is very excited about it.”

The Cat C9.3 ACERTTM diesel engine, rated at 235 net horsepower (175 kW) in the D7E, drives a powerful electrical generator that produces AC (alternating current). Current flows through special armored cables and military-grade connectors to a solid-state inverter, then to the propulsion module. Within the propulsion module are two heavy-duty electric motors (using AC current) that drive through common gearing into the differential steering system. Power from the steering system is transferred via axles to mechanical, double-reduction final drives to provide smooth, infinitely variable driving force to the tracks. The engine in the D7E is entirely beltless, eliminating the need for belt maintenance and replacement.

Headquartered in Elmhurst, Illinois, Caterpillar Dealer, Patten Industries, was instrumental in the sale of the D7E.

“This revolutionary design consumes fewer resources over its working life than any other

track-type tractor in its class. All major components are engineered to be rebuilt or reused in the future,” said Patten Executive General Manager, Larry O’Neill. “Our customers are looking for these kinds of solutions, and we’re pleased to provide them with a competitive edge.”

To learn more about the Cat D7E with electric drive, visit www.cat.com/D7E.

To what do you attribute your success?  We attribute our success in East Peoria to our commitment to making East Peoria a special place to work everyday.  We do that through a culture that centers around the values of integrity, excellence, teamwork and commitment.  Through these we have created a culture that upholds our worldwide leadership position and reputation of acting with the highest values and principles.  In short, we align our actions with our words and deliver what we promise.

We take pride in what we do and what we make possible.  We are determined to serve our customers through innovation, continuous improvement, an intense focus on customer needs and a dedication to meet those needs with a sense of urgency.

How long in business:  2010 marks an important year in the history of our company.  We will celebrate 100 years of building tractors at the East Peoria site.  A century of building the same product in the same location is something few companies can say.

Number of employees: 2,500 (2008)