CLAYTON -- Employees at Caterpillar know it’s a great place to work. And to hear them tell it, they weren’t surprised to learn the company’s Clayton location was chosen as one of the Best Places to Work 2012 by the Triangle Business Journal.
“It’s the people who work here that make it such a great place to work,” said account manager Tony Brown.
The Triangle Business Journal cited the division, which also has locations in Sanford and Cary, as one of the top 35 Best Places to Work based on results of an employee survey conducted by Quantum Market Research. It was the only location named from Johnston County. Winners also included Coldwell Banker Howard Perry and Walston, Red Hat, Rex Healthcare and Coldwell Banker Advantage.
On Oct. 4, the publication will honor the winners at an awards ceremony luncheon.
Brown has spent nearly 21 years working at the NC 42 Building Construction Products division location. The Clayton resident recalls driving past the facility in 1991 while it was still under construction during his daily commute into Raleigh and wishing for a shorter drive.
“I thought it would be really cool to work for Caterpillar,” he said. “I saw an ad in the paper for an application analyst and applied for the job.”
Brown noted it’s not uncommon to find people at the corporation who have longevity.
“You will see people come to work for Caterpillar and work for them their whole career,” said Brown. “I believe in the company and there’s a pride in the products we build. I’m proud to say I work for Caterpillar.”
Mike Williams and Theresa Massengill have both worked at the Clayton manufacturing facility for the past 15 years and say they look forward to coming into work each day.
“They’re very honest and you’ll never hear of any improprieties” said Williams, who works in the tool crib. “They give everybody a fair chance. It’s a good, strong company and known worldwide. I’m happy to be here, myself.”
“Everyone’s heard of Caterpillar,” said Massengill, an operations section manger who started with the company straight out of high school. “I enjoy the challenges I am faced with on a daily basis. It’s important to me to be able to help make changes to improve the efficiency of our product.”
The heavy equipment manufacturer opened the plant in early 1992 and is responsible for the assembly and manufacturing of small, front end loaders. Over the years, the facility has expanded to include a design center located off Glen Laurel Road. Company officials estimate the two locations employ approximately 550 people.
Many of the workers say Caterpillar is good about giving them the chance to learn all aspects of the production process. Process control engineer Melissa Honeycutt, a 20 year veteran, has worked over half dozen jobs at the facility.
“I’ve had the opportunity to work in just about every aspect of this business,” she said. “I’ve touched on almost every side and that’s been a big growth opportunity for me.”
Phyllis Ray began with Caterpillar in 1997 and says she appreciates the team-oriented environment the company promotes and takes pleasure in seeing the company’s products being used in real-life situations.
“I like to go down the road and see our products at work,” Ray said. “It makes me feel proud to say I helped build that.”
In addition to offering competitive benefits and wages, Caterpillar is also involved in the local community donating time and money to benefit schools and fundraisers.
“That to me is admirable,” Brown said. “They are committed to the community not only by providing jobs but then to give right back as much as they can to the local area.”
