Caterpillar VP Bob Williams to retire
CATERPILLAR Inc. have announced that vice-president Bob Williams is to retire on 1 June 2010 after more than 43 years with the company.
Mr Williams has been a Caterpillar vice-president since 2004 and currently has responsibility for the Americas Operations Division (AOD), which includes all manufacturing operations in Aurora, Decatur and East Peoria, in Illinois; North Little Rock, in Arkansas; Caterpillar Brazil
Ltd; and CMSA Mexico.
The division manufactures motor-graders, wheeled tractor scrapers, large mining and quarry trucks, hydraulic excavators, wheel loaders, track-type tractors, pipelayers and various machine components.
Caterpillar chairman and chief executive officer Jim Owens said: ‘Bob’s leadership and deep lean manufacturing experience was instrumental in Caterpillar’s ability to effectively manage some of our largest and most complex manufacturing facilities as we first responded to record-breaking demand for our products from 2005 through 2008, followed by the rapid decline in demand that occurred in 2009.’
Mr Owens also praised Williams for his leadership in the successful implementation of the Caterpillar Production System (CPS) at facilities within AOD, and for the development of the company’s new state-of-the-art motor-grader facility in North Little Rock.
‘Bob’s organization can be held up as a model for the deployment of CPS, which positioned AOD for its strong financial performance during the economic downturn in 2009,’ he said.
A replacement for Mr Williams will be announced in the near future.
Mr Williams has been a Caterpillar vice-president since 2004 and currently has responsibility for the Americas Operations Division (AOD), which includes all manufacturing operations in Aurora, Decatur and East Peoria, in Illinois; North Little Rock, in Arkansas; Caterpillar Brazil
Ltd; and CMSA Mexico.
The division manufactures motor-graders, wheeled tractor scrapers, large mining and quarry trucks, hydraulic excavators, wheel loaders, track-type tractors, pipelayers and various machine components.
Caterpillar chairman and chief executive officer Jim Owens said: ‘Bob’s leadership and deep lean manufacturing experience was instrumental in Caterpillar’s ability to effectively manage some of our largest and most complex manufacturing facilities as we first responded to record-breaking demand for our products from 2005 through 2008, followed by the rapid decline in demand that occurred in 2009.’
Mr Owens also praised Williams for his leadership in the successful implementation of the Caterpillar Production System (CPS) at facilities within AOD, and for the development of the company’s new state-of-the-art motor-grader facility in North Little Rock.
‘Bob’s organization can be held up as a model for the deployment of CPS, which positioned AOD for its strong financial performance during the economic downturn in 2009,’ he said.
A replacement for Mr Williams will be announced in the near future.
