DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) – Caterpillar Inc. has finalized a decision it announced in January to move machine production out of its Aurora, Illinois, facility into other U.S. manufacturing facilities.
The company is moving forward with its plans first announced on January 4, 2017. It will transition its prime products currently made in Aurora to the following Caterpillar facilities:
- Large wheel loaders and compactors to Decatur, Illinois
- Medium wheel loaders to North Little Rock, Arkansas
Caterpillar had previously reported the transition would bring 500 jobs to the Decatur plant.
“Moving production from Aurora to other existing facilities allows Caterpillar to efficiently leverage manufacturing space while still preserving capacity for an upturn,” explains Denise Johnson, Caterpillar group president of Resources Industries.
She adds that supporting employees through this transition is a top priority as she and the company understand these actions are “difficult for our talented and dedicated people.”
Although manufacturing will move out of Aurora, the company does plan to maintain an Aurora office for engineering and product support work.
The transitions are expected to be complete by the end of 2018.
