Caterpillar has announced a $90 million investment at its facilities in Schertz and Seguin, Texas, to prepare for the production of the all-new C13D industrial engine.

The engine, announced at Conexpo 2023, will be available for early OEM pilots in 2025 with full production slated to start in 2026. Cat says new equipment will be installed at both facilities, with $70 million of the investment dedicated to Schertz to make C13D engine components and $20 million in Seguin to assemble the engines.

The investment will create 25 jobs at the Schertz facility starting in 2026.

“We appreciate the support from the local community as we prepare our Seguin and Schertz facilities to produce the C13D engine,” said Mark Stratton, vice president and general manager of Caterpillar’s Industrial Power Systems – Large Engines. “The Caterpillar team in Texas will produce the quality parts and engines we need for our customers as we help them build a better, more sustainable world.”

Cat says the new 13-liter diesel engine platform offers up to a 20% increase in power and up to 25% more low-speed torque than the previous generation of Cat engines in its power class. It is designed for heavy-duty off-highway equipment such as rock crushers, screeners, and grinders; trenchers; agriculture tractors, harvesters and self-propelled sprayers; woodchippers; material-handling equipment; and large industrial pumps.

The C13D will be compatible with renewable liquid fuels such as 100% hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), B100 distilled biodiesel, and even up to B100 standard biodiesel by working with a Cat dealer. It is also designed for the future development of natural gas or hydrogen fuel capabilities. 

The new equipment installations will not impact current operations, which include manufacturing Cat and Perkins engines and generator sets.