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10 APRIL 2017 OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT www.outdoorpowerequipment.com INDUSTRY NEWS HOT NEWS HOT NEWS Caterpillar to establish global headquarters in Chicago area C aterpillar Inc. recently announced that it will locate a limited group of senior executives and support functions in the Chicago area in 2017 and reaffirmed the ongoing importance of its presence in Peoria, Ill., and central Illinois. "Caterpillar's board of directors has been discussing the benefits of a more accessible, strategic location for some time," said Caterpillar CEO Jim Umpleby. "Since 2012, about two-thirds of Caterpillar's sales and revenues have come from outside the United States. Locating our headquarters closer to a global transportation hub, such as Chicago, means we can meet with our global customers, dealers and employees more easily and frequently. "We value our deep roots in central Illinois, and Peoria will continue to be our hometown. The vast majority of our people will remain in this important region where we have many essential facilities and functions. The new location is also an opportunity to add to our talented team while improving the productivity of our senior leaders." As a result of continuing challenging market conditions and the need to prioritize resources to focus on growth, Caterpillar will not build the previously announced headquarters complex in Peoria. The current headquarters building will continue to be used for Caterpillar offices. During the past five years, even while facing these challenging conditions, Caterpillar, along with its employees and retirees, has contributed more than $60 million to support thousands of families, organizations and programs across central Illinois. The company will continue its philanthropic support and deep civic involvement in the Peoria area. "As mayor, I never want jobs moving out of the city," said Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis. "However, the overwhelming majority of Caterpillar employees and their families based in the Peoria area won't be impacted by this decision. I'm pleased Caterpillar continues to call Peoria its hometown." "If Caterpillar succeeds globally, we win in central Illinois," said Andrew Rand, Peoria County board chairman. "I'm disappointed we can't keep every job here, but if moving some of its team near Chicago helps Caterpillar thrive, it will benefit Peoria, our county and the surrounding communities." A limited number of senior executives will move into leased office space, beginning in 2017. Once the new location is fully operational, Caterpillar expects about 300 employees to be based there, which includes some positions relocated from the Peoria area. Kohler Co. acquires UK-based Clarke Energy K ohler Co. recently announced that its Power Group, a global leader in engines and power generation systems, has acquired Clarke Energy Ltd., Liverpool, England. Clarke Energy is a multinational specialist in the engineering, construction, installation and maintenance of engine-based power plants and is an authorized distributor of GE's reciprocating engines in 19 countries worldwide. "Clarke Energy's end-to-end capabilities are very highly regarded around the world, and the company's products and services are an excellent fit within our existing power systems business," said David Kohler, president and CEO of Kohler Co. "We're excited about this acquisition because it adds the distribution of large gaseous generators — viewed as a clean power source — to our product portfolio. We believe Clarke Energy's prime and continuous gaseous solutions are an ideal complement to our existing diesel generator offering for standby applications." Founded in 1989, Clarke Energy provides comprehensive distributed power solutions in multiple industries for mostly prime and continuous power requirements. The privately held firm employs more than 1,100 people and has established a vast network of service locations with highly trained, localized professionals. Company founder Jim Clarke, as well as current CEO Jamie Clarke, and all other company leaders will be maintaining their roles following the acquisition. A global force in power solutions since 1920, Kohler is committed to reliable, leading-edge products and comprehensive after-sale support. Kohler's acquisition of SDMO in 2005 created one of the world's largest manufacturers of generators. The companies have a combined 150 years of experience in industrial power and now benefit from global R&D, manufacturing, and sales and service.