“SEND PIPELAYER EXPERTS.”
April 30, 2015
The Telex sent to Caterpillar Vice President Del Lammers was three simple, but powerful, words.
“SEND PIPELAYER EXPERTS.”
The 1975 version of the text message culminated three years of work to close a $3.8 million sale for 38 pipelayers with the China National Petroleum Corporation.
The deal – Caterpillar’s first in China – marked the beginning of a 40-year relationship with CNPC.
The relationship has now evolved into a global collaboration with the signing of a strategic cooperation agreement. On March 27, Caterpillar and CNPC entered into the agreement at the CNPC headquarters in Beijing, China, where both Caterpillar Group President with responsibility for Construction Industries Tom Pellette and Mr. Yu Baocai, vice president of CNPC, were on hand for the ceremony. Under the agreement, the two companies will collaborate globally to leverage each other’s expertise in their respective industries; share best practices and management experience; continue to partner with each other on products, services, equipment manufacturing and remanufacturing; and make sustainable development possible for both companies.
Qihua Chen, vice president with responsibility for the China Operations Division, signed the agreement on behalf of Caterpillar.
“Caterpillar has worked successfully with CNPC globally in the last 40 years. We are now into the next 40 years for further collaboration as global strategic partners,” Qihua said. “I am confident that this partnership will generate greater business opportunities for both Caterpillar and CNPC in the future.”
CNPC is China's largest oil and gas producer and supplier, as well as one of the world's major oilfield service providers and a globally reputed contractor in engineering construction. CNPC buys engines, gen-sets, track-type tractors, hydraulic excavators, pipelayers, remanufactured components and Solar Turbine products and services globally.
Caterpillar is one of the three Fortune 500 companies that have entered into strategic cooperation agreements with CNPC.
Last year, Lammers donated the gold pen used to sign the first agreement with CNPC back to Caterpillar, and it has been previously displayed at the Caterpillar Visitors Center.
