Caterpillar Lafayette Facility Celebrates 30 Years

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Lafayette, Indiana, facility. On December 2, 1982, Caterpillar Inc. celebrated a landmark event: the first production 3500 engine rolled off the assembly line at its brand new Lafayette, Indiana facility. That marked the beginning of a key facility to Caterpillar and created the foundation for a promising relationship with the local community.

"It has been a tremendous 30 years of increased creativity, production and successful integrations," said Tim Zaspal, general manager of the Lafayette facility. "We could not have achieved this level of success without the dedication and contributions of our workforce who inspires us by its tremendous drive and ingenuity. Today our workforce stands at nearly 2,700, but thousands more have come before them. We appreciate the hard work, loyalty and continued commitment to Caterpillar from all of our people - past and present."

To celebrate the anniversary, the Lafayette facility is kicking off a weeklong series of events. The facility welcomed state and local dignitaries as well as past and current Caterpillar leaders on Wednesday, June 6. The facility will also hold a celebration on Sunday, June 10, for Lafayette employees, retirees and their families that will include simulators, a tour of the facility, machining and robotic demonstrations and many other activities.

"This plant opened so we could better serve our global customers with faster, more powerful gas and diesel options for the 3500 and 3600 series engines," said Group President Gerard Vittecoq, who has responsibility for Caterpillar's Energy and Power Systems. "Since 1982, our engine designs have become even more efficient, and today we build three different models in this facility. Products made right here in Indiana are used by our customers around the world to power their Cat machines, provide prime and stand by power, and are used in marine and industrial applications."

In addition to serving customers, since the beginning, the workforce has shown a strong desire to volunteer in the community. Our Lafayette team contributes to and volunteers in programs and organizations including United Way, Habitat for Humanity, Read to Succeed, Boys Scouts of America, Purdue University and local schools.