Caterpillar dealer to lay off 440 people in western Canada

Finning International, the world’s largest Caterpillar heavy equipment dealer, announced Thursday it is reducing its workforce in western Canada by 440 people.

Finning owns a number of outlets in Saskatchewan including the former Kramer Caterpillar dealership. Kramer sold to Finning International in May.

Combined with previous downsizing efforts, the total number of job losses in Canada will increase to 1,100.

A company spokesperson told News Talk Radio they are not going to breakdown the numbers, but said three per cent of the 1,100 job losses affect employees in Saskatchewan. They also said the vast majority of those job cuts have already taken place.

Finning also announced 11 locations across western Canada will undergo “facility changes”. That does not mean they will be leaving the communities they are in. No Saskatchewan locations will be affected.

The job cuts extended to operations in South America, the United Kingdom, and Ireland.