CATERPILLAR, a leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, has unveiled plans to set up a new parts distribution centre in Dubai.

The new 450,000-sq-ft facility is part of the multi-year expansion and enhancement of the Europe, Africa and Middle East (EAME) Cat Parts distribution network, according to Caterpillar Logistics Services (Cat Logistics).

It will be the third facility added to Caterpillar’s global service parts distribution network in the last five years, it said.
The new Dubai unit will employ between 100 and 120 people and will further strengthen the company’s primary aftermarket parts support in the Africa and Middle East region. The new centre is expected to start operations in 2012.

“With the outstanding product support capability of Cat dealers in the region and the improved parts availability this operation will deliver, we will continue providing customers an unmatched level of after-sales support,” said Steve Larson, Caterpillar vice-president with responsibility for parts distribution and logistics, and chairman and president of Caterpillar Logistics Services.

Once operational, the Dubai centre will increase total warehouse capacity for the EAME network, adding to existing distribution centres in Grimbergen (Belgium), Johannesburg (South Africa) and Moscow (Russia).

“We are excited about our overall growth opportunities in the Middle East and Africa markets and, along with our dealers, are investing in expanding our facilities,” said Paolo Fellin, Caterpillar vice-president with responsibility for EAME distribution.

“The Dubai distribution centre, combined with further enhancements to our Johannesburg distribution centre, will allow us to improve parts and components availability and the delivery process to our dealers and customers in this growth region,” he added.