Caterpillar’s Building Construction Products Division facility in Sanford, North Carolina, recently celebrated 20 years in operation. As the world-wide source of Caterpillar’s skid steer loaders, multi-terrain loaders and compact track loaders, Sanford is focused on meeting the needs of our customers through innovative, high-quality products.
Over 1,300 Amazing Employees and 300,000 (and growing) machines produced
With a growing workforce of more than 1,300 diverse, talented and creative employees, Caterpillar Sanford has made a positive impact on employment in the region. Recently, the 300,000th machine was produced at the Sanford facility – and the number continues to grow.
“I’ve been in manufacturing for 36 years,” said Sanford Facility Manager Brad Crace. “It’s always exciting to see the finished product roll off the lines and you know you had a part in it. It’s been a great opportunity to work here. They have a great history here.”
Caterpillar employee Greg Brooks started on the assembly line in Sanford 20 years ago and has worked in the facility ever since, progressing to his current role as project manager. Brooks said being a part of Caterpillar is like being part of a family.
“It’s a fabulous place to work,” said Brooks. When I leave here it’s going to be through retirement.”
State of the Art Manufacturing
The Sanford campus now encompasses 665,000 square feet across four separate buildings. The products made in Sanford are used in a variety of applications including landscaping, general construction, land clearing, road construction, utilities and demolition. The type of work in the factory includes track and robotic weld, computer-controlled machining, state of the art powder top coat paint system, warehousing/kitting component parts/direct delivery, modular sub assembly, on-site product design, development and performance testing, asynchronous assembly line, continuous moving assembly lines autonomous guided vehicles, online job instructions/standard work with integrated shop floor control and quality gates and pre-delivery inspection.
Giving Back and Developing the Workforce of Tomorrow
In addition to the excellent work going on inside the facility every day, Caterpillar Sanford is committed to helping develop the workforce of tomorrow and to giving back to the local community. Partnering with schools at all levels, Caterpillar Sanford helps build the real skills needed for today’s manufacturing environment in its modern, high-tech facility with the highest safety and quality standards.
Employees volunteer at a variety of service events each year and support many organizations and including Boys and Girls Club, the YMCA, United Way, Habitat for Humanity of Wake and Chatham Counties, Backpack Buddies and the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina.
Where It All Began: The A-Series Skid Steer
The facility opened for its first full year of production in 1999 with the first A-Series skid steer loader. Sanford’s growth throughout the years has supported Caterpillar’s efforts across the globe. The facility launched the B series in 2004, the C series in 2007 and is now producing the D series of Caterpillar machines.
Celebrating 20 Incredible Years and Looking to the Future
To celebrate the 20th anniversary milestone, leaders, employees and their families gathered this spring to tell stories, share memories, and reflect on two decades of progress and growth.
The team in Sanford will continue to provide quality solutions for our customers and is committed to Caterpillar’s purpose statement: Our Solutions Help Our Customers Build a Better World.