Caterpillar Inc. CAT has
signed a definitive agreement to acquire Johan Walter Berg AB, including its
core brand of Berg Propulsion, a leading manufacturer of mechanically and
electrically driven propulsion systems and marine controls for ships. With
the acquisition, Caterpillar will transition from selling only engines and
generators to providing complete marine propulsion package systems.
Headquartered in Ockero Islands, Sweden, Berg has designed and manufactured
heavy-duty marine thrusters and controllable pitch propellers since 1929.
Its proprietary systems are employed in maritime applications throughout the
world that require precise maneuvering and positioning.
"Berg is one of the most highly regarded brands in the marine industry,"
said Tom Frake, Caterpillar vice president with responsibility for the
Marine and Petroleum Power Division. "Our team will now be able to provide
worldwide Caterpillar support to marine operators for a complete, optimized
propulsion package, including bow thrusters, gear boxes and shaft
alternators. In addition, Berg's expertise, focus on maximizing customers'
uptime and minimizing operation cost aligns well with Caterpillar's value
proposition."
Berg will become part of the Caterpillar Marine and Petroleum Power
Division, which supplies diesel and natural gas engines for the generation,
control and supply of mechanical and electric power for the marine and
petroleum industries.
"This marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter in our company's
history and is a chance to become part of the strongest brands -- both
Caterpillar and MaK -- in our industry," said Hakan Svensson, Berg's Chief
Executive Officer. "Berg has proudly served the marine industry for 101
years, always striving to provide the best economical and environmentally
sound customer solutions. We look forward to developing and providing an
even greater portfolio of products and services for ship owners around the
world."
Berg's thrusters, propellers and control systems will be rebranded as
Caterpillar soon after the close of the deal, which is expected in the third
quarter 2013, pending final regulatory approvals.
About Caterpillar:
For more than 85 years, Caterpillar Inc. has been making sustainable
progress possible and driving positive change on every continent. With 2012
sales and revenues of $65.875 billion, Caterpillar is the world's leading
manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas
engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives. The
company also is a leading services provider through Caterpillar Financial
Services, Caterpillar Remanufacturing Services and Progress Rail Services.
More information is available at: http://www.caterpillar.com.
About Berg:
Berg Propulsion is one of the world's leading designers and producers of
Controllable Pitch Propellers for the shipping industry. Our strength lies
in exceptional functional and technical expertise coupled with extensive
industry knowledge. We deliver fully customized main propellers, azimuth
thrusters, transverse thrusters and manoeuvre systems, and 24-hour service.
Berg Propulsion operates from state-of-the-art production facilities in
Sweden and Singapore, with sales and marketing offices in China (Shanghai
and Guangzhou), Turkey, Dubai, Singapore, Germany, Spain, Brazil, Italy,
West Africa, India, South Korea and the Swedish west coast. For more
information, visit www.bergpropulsion.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release relate to future events and
expectations and are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "believe,"
"estimate," "will be," "will," "would," "expect," "anticipate, " "plan,"
"project," "intend," "could," "should" or other similar words or expressions
often identify forward-looking statements. All statements other than
statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including,
without limitation, statements regarding our outlook, projections, forecasts
or trend descriptions. These statements do not guarantee future performance,
and we do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements.
Caterpillar's actual results may differ materially from those described or
implied in our forward-looking statements based on a number of factors,
including, but not limited to: (i) global economic conditions and economic
conditions in the industries and markets we serve; (ii) government monetary
or fiscal policies and infrastructure spending; (iii) commodity or component
price increases, fluctuations in demand for our products, or limited
availability of raw materials and component products, including steel; (iv)
our and our customers', dealers' and suppliers' ability to access and manage
liquidity; (v) political and economic risks and instability, including
national or international conflicts and civil unrest; (vi) our and Cat
Financial's ability to: maintain credit ratings, avoid material increases in
borrowing costs, and access capital markets; (vii) the financial condition
and credit worthiness of Cat Financial's customers; (viii) changes in
interest rates or market liquidity; (ix) changes in financial services
regulation; (x) inability to realize expected benefits from acquisitions,
including ERA Mining Machinery Limited, and divestitures, including the
divestiture of the Bucyrus International, Inc. distribution business to our
independent dealers; (xi) international trade and investment policies; (xii)
market acceptance of our products and services; (xiii) changes in the
competitive environment, including market share, pricing and geographic and
product mix of sales; (xiv) successful implementation of capacity expansion
projects, cost reduction initiatives and efficiency or productivity
initiatives, including the Caterpillar Production System; (xv) inventory
management decisions and sourcing practices of our dealers or original
equipment manufacturers; (xvi) compliance with environmental laws and
regulations; (xvii) alleged or actual violations of trade or anti-corruption
laws and regulations; (xviii) additional tax expense or exposure; (xix)
currency fluctuations; (xx) our or Cat Financial's compliance with financial
covenants; (xxi) increased pension plan funding obligations; (xxii) union
disputes or other labor matters; (xxiii) significant legal proceedings,
claims, lawsuits or investigations; (xxiv) compliance requirements imposed
if carbon emissions legislation and/or regulations are adopted; (xxv)
changes in accounting standards; (xxvi) failure or breach of information
technology security; (xxvii) adverse effects of natural disasters; and
(xxviii) other factors described in more detail under "Item 1A. Risk
Factors" in our Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 19, 2013 for the
year ended December 31, 2012. This filing is available on our website at
www.caterpillar.com/secfilings.
SOURCE Caterpillar Inc.
/CONTACT: Caterpillar U.S.: Rachel Potts, Corporate Affairs, Office: +1
(309) 675-6892, Mobile: +1 (309) 573-3444, Potts_Rachel_A@cat.com, or
Caterpillar Europe: Erik De Leye, Corporate Affairs, Office: +32 2 550 3537,
Mobile: + 32 475 691 799, De_Leye_Erik@cat.com; or Berg: Christian
Lundquist, Chief Marketing Officer, Mobile: +46 768 290 893,
press@bergpropulsion.com
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