Cat To Cut Jobs In Northern Ireland Gen-Set Facility

Caterpillar has announced plans to cut 700 jobs from its Northern Ireland operations, with the job losses expected to take place over the next 12 to 18 months.

Cat has two sites in Belfast, Northern Ireland, including a manufacturing facility that produces axles and transmissions for trucks and the Larne generator set manufacturing facility that came with its acquisition of FG Wilson in 1999. The job reductions will take place at Larne, and will include production, support and management, the company said.

Caterpillar said the cuts are not a result of Brexit or the COVID-19 pandemic, but rather are the result of global restructuring and the shift of some business activities to other parts of the world.

“We recognize that what we are considering is difficult for our employees, their families and the community,” said Joe Creed, vice president of Caterpillar’s electric power division. “We do not take these contemplations lightly. However, we must plan for future business needs to be competitive.”