Production lines to roll soon at Caterpillar plant

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) A company engineer says production lines at Caterpillar's new Georgia plant will be rolling in time to meet the manufacturing firm's Nov. 1 goal.

Kevin Turner, a supply chain planning engineer, tells The Athens Banner-Herald that a new Caterpillar 308 mini-excavator will roll off the line that day.

Peoria, Ill.-based Caterpillar is opening the 850,000-square-foot facility in Bogart, just west of Athens.

Workers will build tractors and excavators at the plant.

Officials have said they plan to ramp up to full production over a five-year period, company officials have said. The manufacturing facility is expected to directly employ 1,400 workers once it's fully operational.