Celebración de Mexico

It was February 1963 when Caterpillar broke ground on its first operations in Mexico. The facility opened its doors with 130 employees, and the production and distribution facility proudly called Monterrey its home.

Fifty years later, Caterpillar's Mexico operations now include several facilities, with four of them directly supporting the Integrated Manufacturing Operations Division (IMOD). Today, more than 5,000 IMOD employees specialize in large fabrications to support the construction and mining businesses.

To celebrate the first 50 years, a grand ceremony was held during September 2012. With the assistance of several managers, business partners and special guests, employees were thanked for their hard work that has helped pave Caterpillar's road to success through the years.

"We celebrated in Monterrey because this is where we began," said Ron Riekena, managing director and Mexico country manager. "And we continued the celebrations all through our Mexico facilities."

Two days after the celebration, an open house was held at the Monterrey, Mexico, facility for all employees and their families. This was the first time in more than 10 years that the facility was open to employees to share with their families. As a result, there was a lot of anticipation leading up to the event. Approximately 10,000 attendees visited the facility for tours of the production building, where they were able to learn how one of the main products, the small truck body, is built.

Rock Solid

history

In 1962, Caterpillar formed a new subsidiary, Caterpillar Mexicana S.A. de C.V. Photos from the construction of this historic event were captured on film in Monterrey, Mexico.

"The open house was great for some of our newest employees," said Logistics Manager Roberto Tellez Gonzalez, who has been with Caterpillar for 14 years. "They had the opportunity to show their families everything that the Monterrey facility does. We all had the opportunity to go on a facility tour, and it was amazing."

Maria Carvajal Fernandez, a service technician, said the open house was very well organized, and she was proud to bring her family.

"Caterpillar is the only company that I have worked for, and I have seen many changes over the past 24 years since I began working," Fernandez said. "I think that the open house was a great opportunity for our families to see and understand what we do and where we work. I was very proud because I came with my mom, who had the opportunity to come to the open house more than 10 years ago, and now she could compare and see many positive changes have been made."

Families who explored the Monterrey facility not only enjoyed Cat^® products, but also a playground for children, a presentation from a local TV children's show and a museum that focuses on Caterpillar's presence and contributions in Mexico.

For many who participated, the main attraction was an interactive show that involved Cat^® machines, dancers, musicians and acrobats. Among the many performers was a Cat^® 416E Backhoe Loader, a Cat^® 966E Wheel Loader and a Cat^® 770 Off-highway Truck.

Employees were thankful for this great opportunity to share their Caterpillar pride with their families.

"I'm very proud of the team who has pulled together over the years, whether it was for the business or for our communities," Riekena said.