7/29/2008 - Caterpillar celebrates repaired facility

By Alyssa Schnugg
The Oxford Eagle
July 28, 2008

Elouise Hawkins’ eyes welled up with tears while she looked around the newly repaired Caterpillar facility.

“I can’t help but get emotional,” she said Saturday during a full-day rededication and anniversary ceremony. “It’s so wonderful to see everyone back here together and OK.”

Hawkins, a human resource assistant at Caterpillar, was not working on Feb. 5 when a tornado ripped through the 180,000-square-foot manufacturing plant, destroying the building.

“We are so blessed no one was hurt,” she said.

Almost 300 employees were displaced after the tornado, although Caterpillar remained true to its promise to continue to pay their full-time employees, while offering them training if no work was available.

“In our heads, we understood one of the reasons for rebuilding was a business decision,” said Stephanie Alexander, assembly bend coordinator. “But in our hearts we knew corporate management truly cared about the people in Oxford.”

The celebration included lunch, a concert, games for the children, huge spacewalks and free give-aways, including hats, coolers and totebags.
It also included a lot of heart-felt “thank yous” from corporate management, employees and state officials.

Quick recovery

Caterpillar is the world’s largest manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines and industrial gas turbines. At the Oxford plant, couplings are made and shipped to dozens of Caterpillar manufacturing plants around the world and are found on every Caterpillar machine.

After the tornado, Caterpillar officials were worried the damage to the Oxford plant would sporadically impact machinery production at other facilities, due to a shortage in couplings. But that didn’t happen. Within a couple of weeks, with the help of a rented facility in Water Valley, the limited production began.

“On behalf of Team Caterpillar, I want to sincerely thank our Oxford employees and their families for the tremendous efforts they have made over the last six months to rebuild this facility and to maintain the supply of couplings in the aftermath of the tornado,” said Jim Owens, chairman and CEO. “If you take a look around you, this building is a testament to the strength and commitment of all of you gathered here today ... You rolled up your sleeves and got back to work.”

Alexander presented Owens with a framed picture of the Lafayette County Courthouse as a token of appreciation from the employees for the management’s support.

Efforts appreciated

Also speaking at the ceremony was Oxford Mayor Richard Howorth who commended Caterpillar for keeping its employees safe on the night of the deadly storm and the residents of Oxford and Lafayette County for their quick response and support.

“You had a good disaster system in place,” he said to the crowd of about 500 people. “The Emergency Management Coordinator Jimmy Allgood told me, ‘Caterpillar had its act together.’ You had only two minor injuries. I think this is simply remarkable.

“We had countless people on the scene immediately. Caterpillar corporate was on the ground the next morning in Oxford. We had a brand-new Board of Supervisors who responded with complete willingness to assist. Nonprofit agencies were there on the spot. You all cannot ever be thanked enough.”

Sonya Hopson and her daughter, Olivia, were enjoying the family games tent Saturday. Her husband, Max, is a “black belt,” or project manager, for Caterpillar.

“Caterpillar assured us right away that he would still have a job,” she said while Olivia played some bean-bag toss. “I was really worried about the manufacturing workers though, but Caterpillar said they would take care of everyone and they did.”

Olivia agreed Caterpillar was “pretty cool.”

“They have the greatest games here,” she said.

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