Cat to begin independently manufacturing vocational truck line

Caterpillar will begin independently manufacturing its
vocational trucks at its plant in Victoria, Texas.
Photo: Caterpillar

Caterpillar will begin independently designing and manufacturing its vocational truck line at its plant in Victoria, Texas. The plant currently produces hydraulic excavators, and it will continue to produce them in addition to the trucks.

“The on-highway vocational truck product family is important to our product line; customers like our trucks and want to include them in their fleets in a variety of heavy duty applications such as dump trucks, mixers, haulers or one of the other configurations we offer,” says Chris Chadwick, director of the Global On-Highway Truck Group. “To continue to provide the best solution for our customers, we will bring the design and manufacturing of this product into Caterpillar, and the production specifically to Victoria.”

Caterpillar launched its first vocational truck, the CT660, in the North American market in 2011. Since then, the company added the CT680 and CT681 models to the product line. Until this point, Caterpillar has worked with Navistar for the trucks’ design and build.

“We appreciate the collaboration we have had with Navistar,” adds Chadwick. “As we look to future launches of new truck models, this updated strategy will better position us to help provide our customers with the best products and services for this market.”

According to the company, the transition process will begin immediately, with production expected to begin in the first half of 2016. The addition of vocational truck production at the facility is expected to add around 200 new jobs at the facility.

Caterpillar dealers will continue to sell Cat vocational trucks.