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NUTS & BOLTS continued from page 31 Caterpillar New Backhoe Loader Manufacturing Plant at Thiruvallur With three existing Caterpillar plants in the country already manu- facturing a variety of construction and heavy equipment vehicles for the country's infrastructural growth and development, the U.S.-based multina- tional company continues to expand its India presence with the inaugura- tion of a dedicated backhoe loader manufacturing facility in Th iruvallur, near Chennai. Th is is the second major plant in the region; CAT's existing off -highway truck manufacturing plant is also located in Th iruvallur. Th e massive industrial campus that was purchased by CAT from Hindustan Motors now represents one of the key production and employment zones for Caterpillar in India. Th e new backhoe loader manufacturing facility will not only strengthen the company's growing presence in India, but also augment its distribution channel for high-demand earth moving equipment by bringing in enhanced local production capabili- ties, the company said. Commenting on the new facility, Robert Droogleever, General Man- ager for Caterpillar BHL Worldwide, said, "Our new facility is a testimony to the growing importance that India as a market commands in our global backhoe loader business strategy today. Th e demand for backhoe loaders has been gaining traction with the construction equipment industry growing at a rate of 15-20% per annum." Speaking about the positive impact the new facility will have on Caterpillar's overall presence in India, Kevin Th ieneman, Country Manager- India, ASEAN & China, said, "India will make sig- nifi cant investments over the next several decades to build its infrastructure and support higher levels of urbanization. Th is facility, our fourth manu- facturing operation in India, positions us to meet industry growth and enables us to better serve our customers with the broadest range of products in the industry. " IDA UNIVERSAL May-June 2012 37 Despite the fact that JCB, one of CAT's major competitors in this space, is currently the leader in the backhoe loader business, the new Caterpillar backhoe loaders that roll out of Chennai will bring with them reliable and time-tested features at prices that are within reach of the mass market. www.cat.com Nuts & Bolts continued on page 39