Caterpillar plans to hire 600 at just-opened Arkansas factory

Caterpillar expands to Arkansas with new factory

MORE MANUFACTURING JOBS_Caterpillar has hired 200 workers and plans to hire an additional 400 once its new $140 million road grader plant in North Little Rock, Ark., is up to speed.

BUILDING IN A RECESSION_Government stimulus money has gone to a lot of highway projects, freshening demand for the graders at the new plant.

FEWER OVERALL JOBS_In 2009, Caterpillar laid off more than 24,000 workers worldwide but the shakeup didn’t change its plans for the North Little Rock facility.