Caterpillar investment boost for Peterlee

Sep 7 2009 by Peter McCusker, The Journal

AMERICAN manufacturing giant Caterpillar has restated its commitment to the North East – after recently axing 300 jobs – by buying a fresh site for expansion.

The vehicle maker says the purchase of 80,000 sq ft of office and warehousing property next to its Peterlee factory shows its faith in the region and has been welcomed by industry figures.

In November Caterpillar axed 170 posts at the site on the town’s North West Industrial Estate after weeks earlier cutting 130 posts at Peterlee and its plant in Stockton, as the downturn in the global construction industry depressed demand. But a spokesman last night said: “The purchase of the property is a good strategic fit for our operations in Peterlee.

“The new property will be used to provide new offices and additional facilities for the development and testing of our products and will also be used for employee training purposes.

“This is an indication of Caterpillar’s commitment to the future development of its employees at Peterlee.”

Caterpillar has been based in Peterlee for 40 years and is one of the region’s major employers with 1,000 staff in the town and a further 200 in Stockton.

The company has acquired three buildings on the east side of Judson Road, which adjoin their current site and used to be the home of British Home Doors, which went into administration at the end of last year.