WASHINGTON, DC-The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) President and CEO John Engler issued the following statement on Caterpillar's announcement of an expansion of their operations with a new facility in Victoria, Texas: "Manufacturers continue to lead our economic recovery, and Caterpillar's announcement reinforces that. The company's selection of Victoria, TX, for its new state-of-the-art hydraulic excavator manufacturing facility will create hundreds of jobs. This is a positive step forward for manufacturing, the U.S. economy and the state of Texas.

It is clear that these decisions come down to the right policies to encourage economic growth and job creation. Unfortunately, in today's economic and political climate, manufacturers face many burdens and uncertainties that make it harder for them to compete. In the NAM's "Manufacturing Strategy for Jobs and a Competitive America," we provide a comprehensive plan for pursuing policies that allow manufacturers to compete in the global market. To learn more about the Strategy, please visit www.nam.org.   

The United States remains the world's largest manufacturing economy, producing 21% of global manufacturing wealth. Caterpillar's decision will only help preserve and build on our manufacturing footprint in the world."

The National Association of Manufacturers is the nation's largest industrial trade association, representing manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing has a presence in every single congressional district providing good, high-paying jobs. For more information about the Manufacturers or to follow us on Shopfloor, Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.