Dozers rolling off production line in Burlington

When a Case 750M bulldozer rolled off a new production line last week at the CNH Industrial plant in Burlington, it marked the culmination of a $24 million capital investment.

The plant already manufactures tractor loaders, backhoes and rough terrain forklifts for the Case construction equipment brand, as well as headers for the Case IH and New Holland Agriculture brands.

The new production line includes a dedicated paint line, welding and computer numerical control machining equipment, and a dedicated assembly line.

The Burlington plant, home to more than 600 employees, has manufactured equipment for CNH Industrial's brands since 1937.

'With the expansion, CNH Industrial is well-positioned to meet demand within the construction equipment market,” said Bill Baasch, vice president of manufacturing operations, North America. 'We are enthusiastic about our new production capabilities on this line.”

The Iowa Economic Development Authority Board approved $342,869 of incentives for the project.

The company has to create 50 jobs, a majority of which have to pay at least $14.73 an hour.

The Case bulldozers had been manufactured at the company's Calhoun, Ga., plant. That ended Aug. 31.

The production line's move aligns with CNH Industrial's long-term objective of an efficient manufacturing footprint and achieving a lean, flexible industrial operation.

CNH Industrial has made more than $100 million in new investments in the Burlington facility since 2009.

The company has 11 manufacturing plants, 13 research and development centers and a workforce of 11,000 people in North America.