Caterpillar Inc. to expand in Chicago

CHICAGO (AP) – A construction equipment company known for its earthmoving equipment plans to expand its Chicago office in order to attract the best technological talent.

Caterpillar Inc. is expanding its digital team, which includes software developers, data analysts, telecommunications experts and computer engineers, the Chicago Tribune reported.

The Deerfield-based company moved to downtown Chicago for the first time two years ago to improve recruitment. It is essential that the company is committed to attracting new talent, said Ogi Redzic, vice president of the company's Cat Digital division.

"The work we are building is fundamental to Caterpillar's future," Redzic said. "Customer expectations are changing and he expects the same tools he uses for his daily life to be as good and better in the equipment he has."

Companies that are not traditionally associated with the technology sector may find it difficult to recruit workers who are not aware of their digital work.

"Before joining the company, I really did not know the scope and scope of Cat products," Redzic said. "I was quite surprised, myself, thinking that I was joining a mining and digging company to learn all that Cat does in the world.

Caterpillar's technical team develops applications for internal and external use, such as a tool allowing equipment owners to monitor maintenance schedules and machine uptime.

The team analyzes data from the company's machines to find ways to improve equipment efficiency. She also participates in the company's e-commerce activities, which customers use to purchase machinery parts.