Caterpillar to open training facility in Dubai

United Arab Emirates – Recycling, mining and construction equipment manufacturer Caterpillar is to open a training centre in Dubai for the African and Middle East region. The centre will offer hands-on technical and sales training in machines and power systems to Caterpillar’s dealers and customers across the region.

The company will invest more than US$ 7 million in the 1700 m2 centre which will employ around 40 people, mostly high-level technical staff who will be recruited primarily from the region itself. The 7000-plus technicians at Caterpillar dealers in the African and Middle East region will receive extensive training at the new centre in order to enhance their skills and knowledge relating to both products and latest product support technologies.

Nigel Lewis, who is vice president of Caterpillar’s East Africa/Middle East distribution division, comments: ‘Our training centre in Dubai is a key part of our plans for the Middle East and Africa, and will ensure Caterpillar and our dealers can be relied upon for providing unsurpassed support to our customers.’ The Africa and Middle East region is expected to witness ‘strong, continued growth for our customers, and we will grow to support that’, Lewis insists.

To be operational by the end of 2015, the new facility will be located at Caterpillar’s Middle East parts distribution centre and regional sales and marketing office in Dubai’s fast-growing industrial zone of Jebel Ali.