Peoria, Ill.-based Caterpillar Inc. has reached an agreement with Simformotion Llc to deliver operator training simulator solutions to heavy equipment owners and training organizations.
The agreement calls for Simformotion to develop, manufacture, and distribute Caterpillar branded operator training simulator products through its Morton, Ill., headquarters beginning in the first quarter 2009. The agreement brings together Simformotion’s innovative technology and the strong reputation of the Caterpillar brand.
Simformotion is an affiliate of CSE Software, which offers integrated IT services for clients worldwide, including multi-tier scalable desktop, Internet, eLearning, support and fulfillment solutions. Simformotion will specialize in the development and delivery of simulation products for training.
Since 2004 the Caterpillar operator training simulator products had been developed and distributed by Caterpillar under the Cat Virtual Training Systems name. In that year Caterpillar Equipment Training Solutions entered a business venture to plan, design, manufacture and distribute computer-based heavy equipment training aids called personal simulators. This agreement will result in an expansion of the Cat simulator product line and an expansion of targeted customers, specifically educational and training institutions.
“Our long and successful relationship with CSE Software, Simformotion’s parent company, their reputation for quality and reliability with our dealer network, and the integration of their leading edge technology focus with the Caterpillar brand will ensure that our operator training simulator products will continue to meet and exceed the needs of the heavy equipment industries we serve,” said Larry Estep, Cat Simulators program manager, Caterpillar Equipment Training Solutions.
The Cat simulators feature state-of-the-art software with 3D graphics and dynamically engineered hardware to simulate actual heavy machinery for training operators. Organizations that use simulators can create a training model that leverages safety and production, plus many cost-reduction benefits such as reducing fuel consumption, engine-use hours and unplanned maintenance caused by machine misuse. By utilizing simulator instruction as part of an overall training curriculum, organizations develop operators who are more confident, safer and better retain training when using actual machines.
For more information, visit www.catsimulators.com.
