2. TECHNOLOGY AND SERVICES
2.1 Manufacturing Profile
The Caterpillar Group offers 27 models of marine engines, for use in pleasure craft and luxury yachts, as well as fast ferries and fishing vessels. At Kiel it specialises in large medium-speed four-stroke engines.
MaK branded engines are used as main propulsion or auxiliary engines in a wide range of vessels, including container ships, passenger ships/ferries, supply vessels and tugs, inland waterway craft, fishing vessels and special-purpose ships. In addition, the Kiel site also manufactures medium-speed diesel engines for power stations and stationary applications in the petroleum extraction (e.g. offshore platforms) and petroleum transportation (e.g. pipelines) businesses, and these are marketed under the CAT trademark. At present these represent a small proportion of the Kiel factory's output.
The MaK brand product list covers four series of medium-speed four-stroke diesel engines in the output range from 1,020-16,200 kW at speeds ranging from 500-1,000 rpm. A full list of Caterpillar Motoren's four-stroke engines reads as follows:
All of these engines have been introduced since 1992, beginning with the M20 in 1992, followed by the M32 in 1994 and the M25 in 1996 and most recently the M43 in 1998. A vee-type version of the M43 is currently under development, aimed especially at the cruise ship and ferry market. Although the M32 is currently the company's most popular product, it may well be rivalled soon by the success of the M43.
The company operates 12 test beds for testing customers' engines.
Caterpillar Motoren is certified to ISO 9001, by Lloyd's Register.
2.2 Technical Co-operation
Caterpillar Motoren has a joint venture in China, in which it holds a 70 per cent stake with its Chinese partners holding the other 30 per cent.
