The Caterpillar brand of heavy machinery includes tractors, trucks, loaders, excavators, graders, scrapers and other equipment. The company’s products are used in agriculture, construction, road building, mining, logging, energy, and material handling industries.
The company’s main headquarters is in Peoria, Illinois. There are also four other major production facilities in the area: Mapleton Foundry, East Peoria factory, Mossville engine plant and Morton parts facility.
A large part of the parts production is outsourced to third parties. However, some of the larger, traditional CAT parts production is still done in Peoria.
There are several major plants in Peoria that build diesel engines and large heavy parts for Caterpillar machines. These include the Mapleton Foundry, which produces cylinder heads and other major pieces; the East Peoria plant, which has been assembling CAT tractors for over 70 years; the Mossville engine plant, which was built after World War II; and the Morton parts facility.
Many of these engines are designed to meet stricter emissions standards. They are fitted with advanced emissions controls and other technology to reduce fuel consumption and increase efficiency.
Some of these engines were designed to meet ACERT standards and others are equipped with turbocharging to capture exhaust gases and re-use them, improving power while reducing fuel usage. Some of these engines are even equipped with catalytic converters that clean up the air in cities and reduce air pollution.
In the 1970s, Caterpillar developed a new, improved, low-cost remanufacturing process for its diesel engines. This new, high-quality, remanufactured engines could be sold to customers at much lower prices than brand new models.
The remanufacturing process was an important move for Caterpillar, and it helped it to become one of the leading manufacturers in the industry. Caterpillar trucks history It also allowed the company to take advantage of technology that would be cost-prohibitive for other companies to use.
Today, Caterpillar’s remanufacturing program is an important business strategy for the company. It provides a lower-cost repair option, and allows customers to maintain their fleet of Caterpillar equipment with minimal downtime.
It is possible for remanufactured Caterpillar engines to run as long as or longer than original factory-built units. The remanufactured engines are tested, verified and certified by Caterpillar engineers to ensure quality and performance.
In addition to remanufacturing, Caterpillar also develops new technologies and designs to make its products more efficient. These include turbocharging and direct-drive systems, which boost output while reducing fuel usage.
For example, the D9 series of Cat(r) tracked tractors is the first to feature direct-drive diesel engines. This technology, which allows for the use of more horsepower and torque at lower RPMs, is a game-changer in terms of reducing the overall fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of a machine.
Other technologies include a fuel cell that can be incorporated into the machine’s undercarriage, which allows the engine to be powered by compressed natural gas (CNG). This is a popular solution for fleet managers seeking to decrease costs while boosting productivity.
The company is also an avid supporter of disaster relief and environmental protection. For example, following hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, the company donated a significant number of its machines to aid in cleanup efforts.