LEE COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION Southern Base of the Research Triangle Region NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, August 24, 2007 CATERPILLAR ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR "WORLD-CLASS" TRAINING CENTER IN LEE SANFORD -- Caterpillar Inc. has announced plans to deploy seven new Simulated Work Environment centers globally, to provide employee capability building training in support of the Caterpillar Production System. One of the new Caterpillar facilities will be located in the Lee County Industrial Park north of Sanford. The local facility is being created to provide a hands-on training environment where Caterpillar employees, customers, dealers and suppliers in the eastern one-third of the United States can demonstrate actual behavioral changes in support of the cultural transformation required to implement the Caterpillar Production System. Ultimately, the goal will be to retrain Caterpillar's entire workforce in lean manufacturing concepts. One training center -- in Mossville, Illinois, just north of Peoria -- is currently in operation. Others will be located in the United Kingdom, Belgium, France, China and India. Caterpillar plans to make a significant financial investment to transform its existing light assembly-training center on Clyde Rhyne Drive into what company officials describe as a "world-class training facility." "We believe this facility will be a state-of-the-art training center," said Clyde Crider, lead learning manager for the Building Construction Products Division. "We intend to make it available for training to external businesses, organizations and academic institutions within the region so they can experience the power of a lean production environment. "This facility will enable Caterpillar to establish new, and build upon existing, relationships within the community as we continue to build machines and equipment that 'Make Progress Possible'." Crider said the Simulated Work Environment includes a scale-model Caterpillar assembly line and will allow employees to experience a "lean" production environment, so they can take lessons learned back to the workplace and apply them. It also will allow Caterpillar to develop improved work processes without disrupting production schedules. The expanded facility will consolidate two new hiring assessment centers in the area -- now operating at the North Carolina School of Telecommunications in Sanford and the Workforce Development Center in Johnston County -- along with its existing employment testing and on-the-job training facilities. When the center opens, Sanford will become a destination for Caterpillar employees throughout the eastern United States. Crider said the new Simulated Work Environment should be complete by the end of October. Other phases of the project should be finished by early next year. "Having a world-class training center here is good for Caterpillar and everyone in Lee County," said Bob Heuts, director of the Lee County Economic Development Corp. "With so many people traveling to Sanford, the center's impact will be felt by other businesses, including local hotels, restaurants and entertainment. "Clearly, it will raise our stature in the corporate community worldwide and provide an significant economic benefit for everyone in Lee County." -- For more than 80 years, Caterpillar Inc. has been making progress possible and driving positive and sustainable change on every continent. With 2006 sales and revenues of $41.517 billion, Caterpillar is the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines and industrial gas turbines. The company also is a leading services provider through Caterpillar Financial Services, Caterpillar Remanufacturing Services, Caterpillar Logistics Services and Progress Rail Services. More information is available at www.cat.com. The Lee County Economic Development Corp. is a nonprofit organization established to attract industry, enhance job opportunities and promote sound planning across Lee County. Funding is provided by the county, as well as the City of Sanford and Town of Broadway, the county's two municipalities. -- 30 -- Media Contacts Bob Heuts, Director Jane Haber, Administrative Assistant 919.774.8439 (phone) 919.775.5410 (fax) info@lcedc.com (e-mail) More On the Web Caterpillar: http://www.cat.com LCEDC Media Web: http://www.lcedc.com/media/ This release: http://www.lcedc.com/media/releases/nr082407.txt