In World of Big Stuff, the US Still Rules

choi

James R Hagerty, In World of Big Stuff, the US Still Rules. Wall Street Journal, Dec 4, 2012.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB ... 33231588608990.html

Quote:

"About 80 miles south, in Decatur, Ill., rival Caterpillar Inc. CAT -0.12% makes its large mining trucks, most of which are exported. Caterpillar, No 1 in this market, and No 2 Komatsu account for roughly 85% of global sales of these trucks, roughly the size of two-story houses.

"Komatsu makes smaller mining trucks in Japan, but its largest trucks, able to carry as much as 360 tons of ore, come from Peoria.

"The trucks typically sell for $2.5 million to $6 million each, executives say.

"Most equipment [at Komatsu's plant in Peoria, IL] isn't cutting-edge: There are about 575 factory workers and no robots. Komatsu tried welding robots years ago, but "we couldn't get the quality where we wanted it," said Mr. Schrader. He said the company continues to look at automation possibilities.

Note:
(a) Peoria, Illinois
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peoria,_Illinois
(the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County; amed after the Peoria tribe)
(b)
(i) For Robert LeTourneau, see R G LeTourneau
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R.G._LeTourneau
(Robert Gilmour LeTourneau; 1888-1969; a prolific inventor of earthmoving machinery; his business in 1929 incorporated in California as RG LeTourneau, Inc)
(ii) The French surname }Létourneau [lower case for "t"]: from Old French estournel ‘starling’ [a kind of bird], with the definite article l’, hence a nickname for a chattering, gregarious person or a metonymic occupational name for a birdcatcher."

(c) Komatsu Limited  株式会社小松製作所 (headquartered in Tokyo)
(i) 小松製作所
ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/小松製作所
(section 1.1 発祥: 1917年1月、石川県能美郡国府村（現・小松市）で銅山を経営していた竹内鉱業（吉田茂の実兄である竹内明太郎により創業）が自家用機械生産のため、同郡小松町の小松駅近傍に小松鉄工所を開設したのが始まりである)

translation: Established in 1917 at the present-day 小松市 as Komatsu Iron Works 小松鉄工所, when Takeuchi Mining Industry 竹内鉱業--founded by 竹内 明太郎, elder brother of 吉田茂 (future premier)--needed machine tools for its own use.
(ii) Komatsu, Ishikawa  石川県 小松市
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komatsu,_Ishikawa

(d) For mining truck, see dump truck
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dump_truck
(Section 1.10 Off-highway dump trucks; section 1.10.1 Haul truck)
(e) Decatur, Illinois
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decatur,_Illinois

Caterpillar, Inc is based in Peoria, IL but has production facility in Decatur, IL and many other places throughout the world.
(f) Deere & Company (founded in 1837 by John Deere; based in Moline, Illinois)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moline,_Illinois
(g)
(i) Xiangtan Electric Manufacturing Group  湘电集团有限公司  
http://www.xemc.com.cn/
("前身是创建于1936年的国民政府资源委员会中央电工器材厂， 1949年由人民政府接管，1953年更名为第一机械工业部湘潭电机厂")
(ii) Daventry
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daventry
(a market town in Northamptonshire, England)
(h) Cummins
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cummins
(headquartered in Columbus, Indiana; founded in 1919 by Clessie Lyle Cummins)