Scooping Smarter: Caterpillar and Trimble Extend Joint Venture to Accelerate Grade Control Innovation

"Trimble's Connect & Scale strategy has created an ecosystem that empowers customers across both the physical and digital worlds," Trimble CEO Rob Painter said about his company's joint venture with Irving-based Caterpillar.

Irving-based Caterpillar Inc. and Colorado-based Trimble have extended their long-standing joint venture with an agreement that includes expanded distribution of grade control solutions in the construction sector to accelerate innovation and customer adoption.

Since 2002, the Caterpillar Trimble Control Technologies  joint venture “has led the industry” in grade control solutions, delivering products that contribute to jobsite safety and productivity, the companies said.

“Caterpillar and Trimble have a long history of innovating together,” Tony Fassino, Caterpillar Construction Industries group president, said in a statement. “We’re proud of what we’ve developed to help customers optimize their operations, including grade control. Today’s announcement is a continuation of this collaboration. With a focus on accelerating this leading-edge technology, we are committed to making it easier for customers to acquire and adopt our solutions across Cat and mixed fleets alike.”

The companies said the renewed agreement will increase industry reach and provide their customers broader availability of interoperable grade control solutions via a flexible platform for use by Caterpillar, Trimble, and other technology providers and equipment manufacturers.

Caterpillar and Trimble said that with a strengthened partnership, the agreement enables them to increase innovation and differentiation, develop new offerings, and pursue new industry and geographic opportunities.

How customers will benefit

Caterpillar said that for its customers, there are more ways to access the technology:

  • Factory-fit grade options through Caterpillar
  • Cat Grade 3D Ready options allow upgrading at any point within the machine lifecycle
  • Expanded aftermarket and digital offerings directly through Cat dealers
 

Trimble said its customers also benefit from broader availability:

  • Continued mixed-fleet support from trusted SITECH dealers
  • Expanded distribution network to reach and meet the needs of mixed fleet customers
  • Streamlined access to grade control through Trimble Construction One suite of digital solutions further extends Trimble’s construction technology ecosystem
 

“Trimble’s Connect & Scale strategy has created an ecosystem that empowers customers across both the physical and digital worlds. The next phase of our joint venture will drive innovation in grade control technology to expand the industry opportunity with localized and differentiated solutions while improving technology interoperability,” Rob Painter, president and CEO of Trimble, said in a statement. “This partnership underscores a joint commitment to connect the office and the field throughout the design-build-operate lifecycle of construction projects.”

With 2023 sales and revenues of $67.1 billion, Caterpillar is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives.

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