Caterpillar is cranking up hiring at its Sanford, North Carolina manufacturing campus, with plans to bring on roughly 600 production workers this spring. The company is looking to staff up across assembly, logistics and fabrication as the plant ramps up output on multiple shifts, a sizable shot in the arm for Lee County’s manufacturing scene.
What the company announced
The hiring target and mix of roles were detailed by the Triangle Business Journal, which reports that openings will span assembly, logistics and fabrication positions. ABC11 covered a closed media briefing on Wednesday that included a rare behind-the-scenes look at the factory and remarks from facility leaders. Company materials and local coverage note that applicants are being directed to Caterpillar’s online careers portal to throw their hats in the ring.
What Sanford’s plant makes
The Sanford campus is the global source for Caterpillar’s compact track and skid-steer loaders and has turned out hundreds of thousands of machines since opening in 1999, according to the Research Triangle Regional Partnership. The Sanford Area Growth Alliance cites advanced manufacturing as one of the city’s backbone industries and lists Caterpillar among the largest industrial employers in the area.
Jobs, pay and training pipelines
Current postings for the Sanford facility run the gamut from shop-floor roles to leadership positions. A recent first-shift machine loader job lists starting pay at about $20.20 an hour with benefits beginning on day one. Details for openings in fabrications, paint and warehouse or logistics support are outlined on Caterpillar Careers, which serves as the primary application hub.
Local training efforts are helping feed that pipeline. Workforce programs such as the Caterpillar Apprenticeship Training in Welding, run in partnership with Central Carolina Community College and Lee County Schools, are designed to prepare candidates for shop-floor roles the company is now working to fill.
Why this matters for Sanford
The hiring push builds on Caterpillar’s recent moves in the region. The company bought a nearby shuttered facility in 2023 as part of a broader expansion of its footprint in Lee County, according to Triad Business Journal. For Sanford, a small city that has aggressively courted manufacturing and distribution projects, several hundred new production hires could ease labor constraints and pump additional payroll into local businesses.
How to apply
Job seekers are being directed to start with Caterpillar’s careers portal and search for Sanford-area listings. The site hosts active openings, step-by-step application instructions and an option to join a talent community for future roles. Candidates with experience in welding, machining or logistics, along with those already enrolled in local apprenticeship programs, may have some of the most direct paths into these production jobs. For deeper coverage of the expansion, see reporting from the Triangle Business Journal and local reporting by ABC11.
