Area Development
Clayco of St. Louis has been awarded a contract to design and build Caterpillar's new $65 million distribution center in Clayton, Ohio.

The site is expected to employ 500 to 600 people once operational in 2011, according to Caterpillar Logistics Services and received $1.8 million in Ohio state incentive money, according to the St. Louis Business Journal.

The new facility will be named the Clayton Distribution Center and be more than 1 million square feet.

Just two weeks ago Caterpillar announced it was expanding its Newberry County, South Carolina facility to increase production of diesel- and gas-powered generator sets. The expansion is expected to be completed within the next several years, and will create 500 new jobs.

The company's build-out plans could jump big time once it completes a new report on whether it should move excavator production from Japan to the U.S.

According to a press statement Caterpillar has undertaken a study that could lead to a new hydraulic excavator facility being built in the United States.

Such a move could triple the current capacity of hydraulic excavators now produced by the company in the U.S. and significantly increase Caterpillar's employment in the U.S. dedicated to excavator production, and further leverage excavator production in Japan to serve increasing demand in China and across Asia.

"The study is based on the current analysis of where the global excavator market is heading and how Caterpillar should position itself for continued leadership in the excavator industry," said Gary Stampanato, Caterpillar vice president with responsibility for excavators.

This study is part of a long-term strategic initiative to develop the appropriate global footprint needed to competitively produce hydraulic excavators.

In 2009 the company's sales and revenues were $32.396 billion.