Caterpillar to invest in engine and locomotive
Folha de S. Paulo
Interested in the demand generated by the pre-salt, the American multinational Caterpillar will begin producing in Brazil, as of September, electric engines and generators run of diesel for vessels of support of the offshore oil exploration. The company has also defined it will build a plant of locomotives for trains in the country. According to Luiz Calil, President of Caterpillar Brasil, the decision to install the locomotives unit has already been taken, but neither the investment nor the location has been set yet.
Orders placed by Vale - that in 2010 bought 56 locomotives - and the perspective of growth of the rail sector have attracted the company. "Only 18% of the cargo in Brazil is carried through railroads. There is a lot to grow". In the case of the electric engines, the production will take place in a new line of the plant of the group located in Piracicaba (SP). The equipment is currently imported. Caterpillar intends to produce it with at least 60% of national components.
The company has decided to nationalize the manufacture of engines due to the growing demand of shipyards. Since the resumption of the shipbuilding in the late 90s, the company has already sold one thousand electric engines in the country - all imported from a unit of the company in the USA.