Cat Moving HQ

Hi, Folks.
Do these folks have a death wish? With Chicago's current crime/murder rate? They could well need a small army of ex-recon Marines just to safeguard the place. Ah, well, up goes the prices of new machines and spares.

Just my 0.02.

16,000 jobs lost! "Make the company grow again and be successful" ????????? Ya! whats wrong with this picture??????? Get rid of the electronic shit and go back to the days of the D7G, D8N and DllN's when dependable machines were built! Screw this emissions crap! Global warming? BS! quit sending Nasa crap into space putting holes in the ozone layer! Plus Scientists have revealed that sun is moving slightly closer to the earth. Wake up you ignorants!

Hi, Folks.
Do these folks have a death wish? With Chicago's current crime/murder rate? They could well need a small army of ex-recon Marines just to safeguard the place. Ah, well, up goes the prices of new machines and spares.

Just my 0.02.

[quote="Deas Plant."]Hi, Folks.
Do these folks have a death wish? With Chicago's current crime/murder rate? They could well need a small army of ex-recon Marines just to safeguard the place. Ah, well, up goes the prices of new machines and spares.

Just my 0.02.[/quote]

I very much doubt Cat will set up HQ in the middle of the ghettos Deas .
Now lets see , spend untold millions building a new HQ building in Peoria , or rent a building in Chicago , and take advantage of lower rents and probably full tax deduction. Sounds like smart business move to me .

Not what you may want, but look what everyone is doing these days, close to international airports , saves millions of slow travel miles for these high dollar people from both sides of all the ponds, and better use of facility's already built, and then if they decide to move again it's a lot easier. Not like the old D6 days for sure. I will take a wait and see on this, Ron Meeder

Good point! I made the same comment yesterday to an Engineer at work when he said, "Why?"
Airport proximity was my reply.

If you listened close, I think you could hear the proverbial needle across a record sound effect at work the other day when they made the announcement. Not doing the big new corporate HQ wasn't a big surprise, but the move to Chicago was to most I think. The initial shock is starting to wear off, but I think there is still a fair amount of concern if this is just the beginning.

I guess I buy the being close to O'hare thing. No doubt as much as the exec's travel, cutting 2 hours off their travel time each way for back and forth between O'hare and Peoria either makes them more productive or gives them more time at home. Renting office space in the higher priced suburbs when there are empty Cat-owned offices in Peoria certainly isn't saving money, but maybe it's offset by the decreased travel costs. They also mentioned attracting/retaining executive and young talent. If they'd rather live in Chicago, good for them. I worry about the execs being farther removed (physically and emotionally) from the largest concentration of their workforce, although I'm sure they would argue they are that much closer to the workers elsewhere.

Regardless of the logic, I think the way it was done was poor. It was a huge blow to the morale of the community and employees in Peoria, which is already pretty low after all the layoffs (especially the week before Christmas) and being told not to schedule summer vacations in case we get called out to the factory if there is a strike (possibly no Santa Margarita for me). The timing or the way it was rolled out seem like they could have been done differently to reduce the negative emotional impact. I've always tried not to dwell in the "it's not the company it used to be" conversations, but this one is hard to shrug off. Being a student of Cat history, I can't help but have a little more sympathy for the folks back in the day in Stockton or San Leandro.

Hi, Dave Tallon.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this move and regarding the 'shop floor' reaction. I guess Peoria has been the Cat home for near on 80 years and now 'Big Momma' (HQ) is leaving.

Why didn't they get serious, do both Peoria and themselves a big favor and build an airport nearby? They seem to do most other things that they want, like buy out B-E and O&K.

Just my 0.02.

My turn to add my thoughts.

Frankly I, in my very limited business thinking, it is NOT a good idea for Cat to do this. In my very limited thinking of Chicago and their seemly lawlessness, Cat is making a BIG mistake moving their Head Quarters there.

Now I feel better for having stated my vote, not that it will mean much to all the big wigs.😊