Hemaraj RIL Chosen for Caterpillar’s first plant in Thailand

Bangkok, 12 January 2011 : Caterpillar Underground Mining Pty Ltd., an Australian subsidiary of Caterpillar USA - the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment and a Fortune 500 company, recently signed a contract with Hemaraj Land And Development Plc. to purchase 140 rais of land at Hemaraj Rayong Industrial Land in Rayong Province for Caterpillar’s first manufacturing facility in Thailand.

According to a recent announcement by Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT), the company plans to open a new manufacturing facility in Thailand to produce a full range of underground mining articulated trucks and loaders, which are used by Caterpillar customers around the world in hard-rock underground mining applications. Occupying a total area of 60,000 square meter, the factory is scheduled to start operation in late 2012 and will increase Caterpillar capacity for its existing range of underground mining machinery produced by Caterpillar in Australia and Brazil to meet long-term customer demand in growth markets. Once the facility in Thailand is fully operational and at full capacity, it is expected to generate 800 jobs in Thailand.

For more than 85 years, Caterpillar Inc. has been making sustainable progress possible and driving positive change on every continent. With 2009 sales and revenues of $32.396 billion, Caterpillar is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives. The company also is a leading services provider through Caterpillar Financial Services, Caterpillar Remanufacturing Services, Caterpillar Logistics Services and Progress Rail Services.

David Nardone, President & CEO of Hemaraj Land And Development Plc. said “Hemaraj is honored to assist Caterpillar in some small part in establishing their first strategic manufacturing location in Thailand. Hemaraj Rayong Industrial Land is an ideal location chosen by Caterpillar with well established infrastructure utilities and developed communities. Yet Hemaraj Rayong Industrial Land provides a serene location for industry choosing to be within reasonable proximity to the Laemchabang deep-sea port, the automotive supply line cluster, as well as the heavy industry supply base and bulk port facilities just south."

Hemaraj in the 3rd quarter of 2010 acquired the remaining portion of the 100% shares of Rayong Industrial Land from Cementhai Holding Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of The Siam Cement Public Company Limited.