Caterpillar is laying off 150 full-time production workers at its Decatur plant in response to weak demand for mining equipment. Company officials say the indefinite layoffs of the workers are expected to begin May 11 at the central Illinois plant. Cat says the layoffs are intended to bring production in line with demand as the mining industry continues to face weak market conditions. The company's Decatur plant makes engine liners and engine blocks that wind up in, among other things, Caterpillar mining equipment. Caterpillar's resource industries division, which includes Decatur-built mining trucks, reported profits of $85 million during the first quarter. That's a more than 40 percent drop from the $143 million it earned in the first quarter of 2014.
