Tag: Caterpillar: Page 64

Construction Equipment

Bigger, Better? Performance advantages of 15-foot backhoes over smaller diggers are narrowing, but have not disappeared

There’s a reason 14-foot backhoes comprise the bulk of backhoe sales. That size is well-suited to most of the tasks that backhoes perform. And as OEMs find ways to further improve the performance of 14-foot machines, the advantages of bigger diggers become less obvious. Andy Capps, Volvo backhoe product manager for North America, says advances […]

August 1, 2013

Business

Caterpillar sees second quarter profits fall 43 percent, cuts outlook

Caterpillar reported $14.621 billion in sales and revenues for the second quarter of this year with $960 million in profit. Both numbers are down significantly from last year due to a slump in mining demand, as they were in the first quarter, and the heavy equipment manufacturer has again cut its outlook for sales and […]

July 25, 2013

Technology

Samsung’s water- and dustproof Galaxy S4 Active redefines top-of-the-line in rugged smartphones

The design isn’t quite as exciting as Caterpillar’s take on rugged smartphones, but Samsung’s new Galaxy S4 Active certainly continues the recent and satisfying trend of water- and dustproof phones that aren’t hideous and a pain to use. In the past, most smartphones granted with an IP67 rating were bulky and badly specced—typically running an […]

June 6, 2013

Roadbuilding

LaHood: Expect major transportation infrastructure announcement from Obama

Expect a major announcement on transportation infrastructure from President Obama. That’s the word from outgoing Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood. “Once we get past immigration, guns, the sequester, I think the President is going to be big and bold on transportation infrastructure. So I’m not going to steal his thunder. I think you’ll see him […]

June 5, 2013

Construction Equipment

Big dozer features move to smaller 105- to 210-hp machines

Big machines often see upgrades and new technology first, since the cost of introducing these features represents a lower percentage of the overall cost. But as OEMs become more adept at configuring these features and the costs drop, these features begin to move to smaller machines. Dozers in the 105- to 210-horsepower class are benefitting […]

June 3, 2013

Roadbuilding

Holt names Gerry Dreyer as Weslaco, Laredo regional sales manager

Holt Cat has named Gerry Dreyer Regional Sales Manager for the Weslaco and Laredo region in Texas. Dreyer’s responsibilities include leading all sales, managing resources, customer satisfaction and supporting corporate marketing strategy for Holt’s operations in the Rio Grande Valley. Dreyer previously served nine years as an Account Sales Representative in Weslaco for HOLT. He […]

May 30, 2013

Roadbuilding

Caterpillar combats operator fatigue

Caterpillar may soon include on some of its trucks a set of sensors, alarms and software to detect when an operator is about to fall asleep, BBC reported. The safety system, Driver Safety Solution (DSS), was developed by Australia-based Seeing Machines and is expected to cost up to $20,000 per vehicle. DSS detects sleepiness using […]

May 28, 2013

Business

Immigration bill gains Senate committee’s approval, retains limit on construction visas but increases H-1B visas for highly skilled workers

With a 13-5 vote Tuesday night, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved an immigration bill that would give 11.5 million immigrants living in the United States illegally a chance at citizenship, the Associated Press reported. The bill retains the new guest worker program, called the “W-Visa,” that would make a maximum of 200,000 visas available each year. […]

May 23, 2013

Business

Bloomberg profile of Caterpillar CEO focuses on gap between profits and worker pay

Bloomberg Businessweek recently profiled Caterpillar CEO Doug Olberhelman, pulling very few punches in the process. The profile refers to Olberhelman as a man with a “serious demeanor” and calls him the “mouthpiece” of American manufacturing. It details his work to loosen trade restrictions, lower the corporate tax rate and increase infrastructure spending, as well as his […]

May 20, 2013

Business

Caterpillar names Peoria baseball stadium “Dozer Park”

In what has to be one of the most unique names for a ballpark to date, Caterpillar has named the baseball stadium in its hometown of Peoria, Illinois  “Dozer Park,” according to a report from the town’s paper the Journal Star. The ballpark is the home of the Peoria Chiefs minor league baseball team, a farm […]

May 13, 2013

Business

Caterpillar’s chief technology officer urges Congress to support manufacturing, highly skilled workers in immigration reform

Caterpillar’s Chief Technology Officer Gwenne Henricks recently testified before the Senate Commerce Committee and urged lawmakers to support manufacturing and highly-skilled immigrants in whatever form of immigration reform is passed into law. Henricks told the committee that such reform is necessary in order to allow the United States to better compete in the global economy […]

May 9, 2013

Business

Caterpillar to layoff 300 at mining facility in Illinois, close tunneling plant in Toronto

In the wake of a first quarter that saw profits tumble 45 percent, mostly due to low demand for mining equipment, Caterpillar continues to make moves to rectify the situation announcing layoffs in Illinois and a plant closing in Toronto. Neither of the moves will affect the company’s earthmoving business. After announcing a round of 500 […]

May 6, 2013