Caterpillar announces temporary layoffs in NC

RALEIGH — Construction equipment maker Caterpillar Inc. has announced temporary layoffs for some of its North Carolina employees.

A press release says employees at the company’s Clayton and Sanford plants were notified of the layoffs Thursday afternoon. An exact number of how many people would be affected or how long the layoff would be was not immediately available.

The Clayton plant, which employs about 800 people, was already scheduled for a 10-day furlough to help offset costs.

The company says it is also planning additional non-production days at both plants in 2009.

Caterpillar says volume at its plants has dropped sharply in recent months due to reduced demand for on-highway truck engines, engines for Caterpillar machines and commercial engine
applications.

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