TRUCKMAKERS' NEWS * Australia - CAT may go Cummins

ATN, by Gary Worrall -November 26, 2010: -- With the initial hype of the global launch of CAT Trucks beginning to subside, the job now is for the company to settle into its rhythm as it seeks to establish a foothold in the Australian market... While the CT-630 is likely to a larger customer base, thanks to the optional heavy duty suspension and 90-tonne GCM, it does create something of a dilemma for CAT Trucks executives if it becomes too popular... The bigger problem will be sourcing sufficient components, particularly engines... With the CT-630 using the C15 Cat engine, the issue becomes one of what engines are available on the open market, with Detroit Diesel now restricted to Daimler Truck brands and Caterpillar no longer selling into the on-highway market... This will leave CAT Trucks with virtually no choice but to offer the Cummins ISX as its only 15-litre engine option, until the long-awaited Maxforce engine is available in January 2012... The vice president of product development at CAT parent company NC2, Tom Baughman, says there is an interim approval for the C15 Cat engine. However, this may still not be enough to help because the engine is in short supply... When asked if CAT Trucks will use a Cummins engine as a stop-gap until the arrival of the Maxforce engine, Baughman says it is a factor in the company plans but nothing definite is in place...