CAT recalls nearly 100 workers

LAFAYETTE, Ind. - 2009 was not a good year for Caterpillar: the manufacturer laid off roughly 500 employees in Lafayette last spring.

Caterpillar Chief Spokesperson Jim Dugan said decreased demand for their products motivated the cuts. Nearly a year later, Caterpillar plans to bring back some of its employees.

"We're pleased that there has been an increase in demand to the point where we are making these recalls to about 100 technicians. We expect about a hundred technicians to be recalled from layoff and expect that those folks will be back to work sometime by early March. So, it will be phased in," said Dugan.

Dugan said the global economy is starting to turn around, especially in areas such as the oil and gas industry and the marine industry.

"If demand continues to increase, we'll look to manage our employment up appropriately. We certainly are hoping that's the case, but the economy still has a fair number of uncertain areas in it and so we'll have to be very prudent and very selective on this front," said Dugan.

According to Dugan, if demand continues to rise, more workers could be called back to work.

"What Caterpillar has said more broadly at various business units in various facilities this year, we will selectively be hiring or recalling employees and increasing employment based on demand. That's certainly the case for these hundred or so technicians at Lafayette. We've seen a bit of a pickup in demand. As a result, we're bringing back some of the employees," said Dugan.

Dugan did not have specifics on the exact number of people being recalled or where they worked inside the plant, but he said everyone who is being called back has already been notified.