Ohio CAT, the authorized Caterpillar dealer for Ohio, northern Kentucky, and southeastern Indiana , will invest approximately $50 million to expand its Broadview Heights, Ohio, headquarters and its other facilities, with plans to hire an estimated 300 additional employees in the next few years.

Ohio CAT has approximately 950 employees throughout Ohio, northern Kentucky and southeastern Indiana, with over 230 employees working at its Broadview Heights campus at 3993 E. Royalton Road.

CAT plans a 6,500 square foot expansion to its corporate Technical Training Department. Its plans also include adding conference facilities, office space and new, customer-friendly Machine Sales Department. Ohio CAT will also make improvements to an existing office building which was opened in 1971.

Other improvement projects across the state are planned for 2013 at the company's North Canton, Cadiz, and Cincinnati, Ohio locations. The focus will then turn to major building projects in Toledo, Ohio and Washington Court House.

Ken Taylor, Ohio CAT President, said, "I am hopeful that there will be market demand from the energy sector, including oil and gas as well as coal, from infrastructure spending, from the now barely recovering housing markets, and from agriculture. Moreover, I am determined to make things better for our customers and my employees."

Looking ahead, by the end of 2015, he said, Ohio CAT plans to hire an additional 300 employees, bringing the company's total employment to 1,200. Capital expenditures for facilities-related expansion will allow Ohio CAT to serve its customers through 25 full service locations, compared to 20 locations today, the firm said.