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Caterpillar to cut 1,400 jobs at plant in Belgium, blames high labour costs and sluggish growth

By: The Associated Press

Posted: 02/28/2013 5:59 AM | Comments: 0 | Last Modified: 02/28/2013 8:59 AM

Excavators are parked at the parking lot of Caterpillar Belgium, in Gosselies, Belgium, Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Yves Logghe

BRUSSELS - Construction equipment maker Caterpillar says it will cut more than one in three jobs at its Belgian plant because of high labour costs and sluggish growth in its European market.

Caterpillar Inc. says Thursday it plans to cut 1,400 of the 3,400 jobs at its Gosselies plant south of Brussels alongside other measures aimed at restoring the site's competitiveness.

It says the facility is hampered by Europe's low growth prospects and labour costs that are so high that "it currently costs less to import machines to Europe from some other Caterpillar locations than to produce them in Gosselies."

The Belgian plant, one of Caterpillar's largest globally, produces hydraulic excavators, loading vehicles, engine parts and components.

The Peoria, Illinois-based company is the world's largest maker of construction and mining equipment.

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