U.S. machinery manufacturer Caterpillar will expand its equipment manufacturing facilities in Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister MK Stalin said on Thursday.
In a post on X, Stalin announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Tamil Nadu government and Caterpillar, which plans to invest in the Thiruvallur and Krishnagiri districts.
“The longstanding association between Caterpillar and Tamil Nadu has been further strengthened by new investments!” Stalin said.
During Stalin’s ongoing visit to the U.S., several key partnerships and investment agreements between American companies and the Tamil Nadu government have been signed.
Among the significant discussions was a meeting with Ford Motors to explore the possibility of renewing their three-decade partnership for manufacturing in Tamil Nadu to serve global markets.
Key agreements signed during the visit include an MoU with Autodesk to provide skill development for youth and support MSMEs and startups; a Rs 2,000-crore investment by Jabil in Tiruchirappalli, expected to create 5,000 jobs and establish a new electronics manufacturing cluster; a Rs 666-crore commitment by Rockwell Automation for an expansion in Kanchipuram, generating 365 jobs.
Stalin also held talks with BNY Mellon about potential AI investment opportunities. The visit also saw the signing of MoUs worth Rs 850 crore with Lincoln Electric, Vishay Precision, and Visteon. A Rs 2,000-crore MoU was inked with Trilliant for the development of a manufacturing unit and global support center, while Eaton committed Rs 200 crore for the expansion of its R&D and engineering center in Chennai.
Additionally, an agreement was signed with Ohmium for a Rs 400-crore electrolyzer and green hydrogen plant in Chengalpattu, which is expected to create 500 jobs. Stalin also met with executives from Apple, Google, and Microsoft, resulting in an MoU with Google to establish AI labs in Tamil Nadu.
Further agreements with Nokia, PayPal, Yield Engineering Services, Microchip, Infinx Healthcare, and Applied Materials were finalized, totaling Rs 900 crore in investments and generating 4,100 job opportunities in the state.