Caterpillar breaks ground on Forsyth County plant

Crews broke ground in Forsyth County on a new Caterpillar Inc. plant on Friday. 

The heavy equipment manufacturer is building a $426 million factory in Winston-Salem to produce axle units for large mining equipment. It could employ about 500 full-time and contract workers in five years.

The plant will produce axle assemblies for large mining machines, Caterpillar officials said, and it is part of the company's long-term strategy to increase mining truck capacity.