Caterpillar to open Dubai training centre

Caterpillar is to build a regional training centre for the African and Middle East region in Dubai, UAE. The centre will offer hands-on machines and power systems technical and sales training to Caterpillar’s dealers and customers in the region.

“Our training centre in Dubai is a key part of our plans for the Middle East and Africa and will ensure Caterpillar and our dealers can be relied upon for providing unsurpassed support to our customers. This is an important region for Caterpillar and we expect to see strong, continued growth for our customers, and we will grow to support that,” commented Nigel Lewis, vice president with responsibility for Caterpillar’s Europe, Africa & Middle East distribution division.

With an investment of more than US$ 7 million, the 1,700 m² facility will employ about 40 people, mostly high-level technical staff who will primarily be recruited from the region. The facility is expected to open before the end of the year and will be located at Caterpillar's Middle East parts distribution centre and regional office in Jebel Ali, Dubai.

Caterpillar says its dealers in the Africa & Middle East region employ more than 7,000 technicians. They are a key target group for training at the new facility in Dubai.

The centre will include a lab for scheduled oil sampling analysis, which the company says will help turnaround time of emergency samples and reduce machine downtime.