In 1995, Caterpillar introduced the Cat 24 Motor Grader specifically designed to build and maintain haul roads at mining sites with ultra-class haul trucks. Now in its third generation, the Cat 24 offers 399- to 518-kW (535- to 694-hp) power, 61 950 kg (136,575 lb) weight, a 7.3-m (24-ft) moldboard with an 8.5-m (28-ft) moldboard option, and technology as standard to work wide haul roads efficiently.
At a ceremony held on September 22, 2022, Caterpillar executives and motor grader production team members gathered in Decatur, Ill. to celebrate the production and sale of the 1,000th Cat 24 Motor Grader. The machine, destined for Australia, was sold by Cat dealer, WesTrac Pty Ltd, to Rio Tinto Pilbara Operations, located in Perth, Australia. During the event, Caterpillar team members heard from both WesTrac and Rio Tinto Iron Ore representatives, through videotaped comments, which conveyed the value the Cat 24 brings to the miner’s operation.
Commenting on the historic 1,000th Cat 24 milestone, Sam Vedhakumar Manoharan, vice president of product management, earthmoving, said: “The Cat 24 Motor Grader was and continues to be a game-changer for maintenance efficiency of the wide haul roads necessary for ultra-class trucks. We thank the many global mining operations and dedicated Cat dealers around the world for their loyalty to the Cat 24 grader.”
Today’s Cat 24 Motor Grader features more than 30% higher power, 13% more weight and a longer rebuild life than previous generations. It also offers an 8.5-m (28-ft) moldboard option and will soon feature a high-performance circle design for further improved reliability. The milestone machine includes a special 1,000th unit commemorative plate.
“For years, we have used Cat 24 Motor Graders to maintain our haul roads for our ultra-class trucks. The Cat 24 series offers a great combination of power, weight and blade width to support road maintenance coverage for our large mining fleet,” says Stephen Jones, Rio Tinto Iron Ore managing director of planning, integration and assets. “We are honored to receive the commemorative 1,000th 24 Motor Grader, and this represents the third generation we’ve used across our Pilbara mining operations.”