Cat Command for Dozing at Aurora: a fertilizer first

Published: May 31, 2021

Safety and reliability are getting a boost in North Carolina, as Nutrien implements Caterpillar’s remote-control bulldozer technology.

As part of our ongoing effort to make Nutrien’s operations safer, more efficient and more comfortable for employees, leaders at our Aurora, North Carolina Phosphate facility took a hard look at the bulldozers used in the mine. The team asked three questions: Is it a potentially dangerous job? Is it a dirty job? Is it a dull job? 

After answering yes to all three questions, they turned to technology to make improvements, and recently became the first company in the fertilizer industry to implement the Cat® Command for Dozing remote-control system, to create a safer working environment and improve reliability.

This innovative technology allows workers to operate bulldozers safely from a few thousand feet away in an indoor control station, thereby physically removing them from potential risks. Aurora is the largest mining site to implement this non-line of sight remote-control system for D8 bulldozers.

“Upholding our core value of safety is a top priority, and the Cat Command for Dozing system helps to further enhance our safety processes. We’ve also experienced other benefits, such as a better environment for operators and improved productivity and reliability,” says Mike Dirham, Vice President of Nutrien’s Phosphate Operations. “We’re excited to continue using technology at our sites to improve our ability to reduce risks and reliably produce the phosphate products our customers need.” 

In addition to keeping operators safe by getting them out of the dozers’ cabs, the system includes sophisticated software that monitors the grade of the terrain ahead and identifies avoidance zones. It also offers improved visibility, with cameras that provide a 180-degree front, back and bird’s-eye view of the ground level conditions, along with lighting that reveals a greater field of vision for improved day and nighttime operation.

“Cat Command for Dozing remote control technologies enables users to run equipment from a remote location on or offsite, making work safer, more convenient and more comfortable,” says Fred Rio, Worldwide Product Manager for Construction Digital & Technology, Caterpillar. “Whether they choose the Cat Command console or station, users can have full control of the machine without exposing themselves to dust, noise, vibration or other hazards, which also results in increased productivity.”