Made here at home

For nearly 90 years, Caterpillar has helped build the world, including the backbone of modern America. We’ve helped grow it. We’ve helped power it.

Now, we believe our elected representatives in Washington, D.C., have an opportunity to work together to commit the necessary financial resources to modernize our nation’s infrastructure so that we can maintain U.S. competitiveness in the global economy and enhance economic growth and job creation across America, including right here in Arkansas.

Caterpillar’s commitment to America and to our community remains rock-solid, and we strive to create success stories everywhere we go; that includes Arkansas.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the No. 12 Motor Grader, which is primarily used in the building of roads and snow removal. Today, Caterpillar produces motor graders around the world, including right here at the North Little Rock facility.

Caterpillar has taken the time to work with our state leaders to provide them with the machines and equipment necessary to invest in infrastructure in Arkansas.

Just last year the state Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) purchased its very first grader from local dealer Riggs Cat in Little Rock. It marks the first time that our North Little Rock facility painted a machine Omaha Orange-the official color of the state’s highway machines. In August, that motor grader came off the assembly line and was officially introduced to Gov. Mike Beebe and the entire state of Arkansas.

Recently AHTD purchased four additional Caterpillar motor graders. They were on our assembly line and completed last week. The machines will be deployed throughout the state of Arkansas, continuing to help build the Land of Opportunity’s infrastructure.

The No. 12 Motor Grader is just one example of Caterpillar’s continuous determination in shaping America’s infrastructure.

All day, every day, all around the United States, our products are hard at work. And our people are right there, too-building and supporting products, training operators, helping our customers work more efficiently. In addition, through the support of Caterpillar, the Caterpillar Foundation last year invested $46,250 in Arkansas communities. That number totals nearly $100,000 when you add in foundation and direct giving from our local facility since 2010.

As one of the worst winters in our history reminds us, we cannot ignore that this country’s economic prosperity rests in part on a strong infrastructure. Let’s encourage our leaders to make the necessary investments to repair and modernize our infrastructure and pave the way for future success stories that are built in America and built for the future.

It’s no surprise that Caterpillar is a big supporter of infrastructure investment. But for us, it’s not just about selling more machines. It’s about the drag our poor infrastructure has on the U.S. economy, the ability for our nation to import and export efficiently, and consequently the adverse impact it has on U.S. competitiveness. More than 40 percent of the motor graders produced at the North Little Rock facility are exported. We need the proper infrastructure to support this business.

We are proud of what we do. We are proud of our men and women who make it possible. And we are equally proud of both our American and global story. We manufacture in every region in the world to support our global customers, yet there’s no other country where we employ more people and have more facilities than in the United States.

A company that began with two American inventors now employs 118,500 people worldwide, with nearly 52,000 of those jobs right here in the United States-and nearly 500 here in Arkansas.

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Paul Rivera is the facility manager for Caterpillar Inc. in North Little Rock.