Caterpillar Chairman & CEO Jim Owens to Deliver Keynote Address at 2006 National Manufacturing Week(R); Focus on Building Leadership to Drive Tomorrow's Business...Today

For 80 years, Caterpillar Inc. has been building the world'sinfrastructure and, in partnership with its worldwide dealer network,is driving positive and sustainable change on every continent.Caterpillar posted 2004 sales and revenues of $30.25 billion, is atechnology leader and the world's leading manufacturer of constructionand mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines and industrialgas turbines. With approximately half of all sales to customersoutside the United States, Caterpillar is firmly positioned as aglobal supplier and leading U.S. exporter.

"We are extremely proud to present Jim Owens as a keynote speakerat the 2006 National Manufacturing Week Conference," said KelMarsden-Kish, industry vice president, National Manufacturing Week."His strength of leadership, keen business insight and depth ofexperience make him an extraordinary speaker and shining addition toour already stellar Conference line-up."

More Than Three Decades of Global Leadership

Owens joined Caterpillar in 1972 as a corporate economist and hasheld numerous management positions with the company. Named chiefeconomist of Caterpillar Overseas S.A. in Geneva, Switzerland in 1975,Owens held managerial positions in Peoria from 1980 to 1987. That yearhe became managing director of P.T. Natra Raya, Caterpillar's jointventure in Indonesia. In 1990 he was elected a corporate vicepresident and named president of Solar Turbines Incorporated, asubsidiary in San Diego. In 1993 he returned to Peoria as vicepresident and chief financial officer with administrativeresponsibility for the Corporate Services Division.

In 1995, Owens was named a group president and member ofCaterpillar's Executive Office. Over the next eight years, he was atvarious times responsible for 13 of the company's 25 divisions. InDecember, 2003, Owens was named vice chairman and appointed chairmanand CEO in February, 2004. He earned a Ph.D. in economics from NorthCarolina State University in 1973.

Owens is a director of the Institute for International Economicsin Washington, DC; a director of FM Global Insurance Company in RhodeIsland; a director of Alcoa Inc. in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and amember of the Council on Foreign Relations in New York. He is a memberof The Business Council, Business Roundtable and the ManufacturingCouncil in Washington, DC; and the Global Advisory Council to TheConference Board in New York. He is also a member of the CommunityAdvisory Board of Saint Francis Medical Center and the CivicFederation Board in Peoria.

Expanded Focus on Education, Seminars and Networking

Reflecting broad support from the U.S. manufacturing community,the National Manufacturing Week Conference will present an expandedreal-world conference uniquely reflecting the manufacturing processand geared to the needs of small and mid-sized manufacturers. TheConference, which begins on March 20th, will contain five tracks, 23sub-tracks and features eight top keynoters and more than 400additional speakers. The National Manufacturing Week exhibition floorwill open on Tuesday, March 21st, providing more time on Monday forConference educational offerings to go into greater depth and detail.

The show is sponsored by the National Association of Manufacturers(NAM) and supported by 15 associations and analyst sponsors. Theexhibition floor will open on Tuesday, March 21st, devoting more timeon Monday for Conference educational offerings to go into greaterdepth and detail.

National Manufacturing Week is the only event for engineeringteams and executives responsible for design to manufacturing processto finished goods. Tens of thousands from the U.S. manufacturingcommunity, especially small to mid-size manufacturers, come togetherfor in-depth education and exhibits spanning the broad spectrum ofenabling technologies, systems, products and solutions necessary togrow and compete in the global economy. As part of the four-day event,four focused interrelated shows will be held. These include:

-- The 56th National Design Engineering Show, which attracts OEM, product and systems design engineers and senior managers from across the country responsible for rapid, innovative, reliable product design development through the latest precision technology electronics and electrical components, fluid power, motion control systems, engineered materials and micro manufacturing technologies.

-- The National Industrial Automation Show and Conference, which attracts automation and control engineers, manufacturing managers and systems integrators from across the country responsible for increased production uptime, improved accuracy, optimized plant operations and lower costs through the latest automation technology, systems and solutions.

-- The National Enterprise IT Show and Conference, which attracts the enterprise team of IT, manufacturing and business decision-makers from across the country responsible for changing how work gets done in manufacturing and the supply chain, while better handling changing customer demands through products and services designed to enhance operations at a lower cost.

-- The 58th National Plant Engineering and Maintenance Show and Conference, which attracts MRO engineering professionals, operations teams and executives from across the country responsible for the planning, specification, installation, maintenance, efficient operation and compliance of industrial and institutional facilities and systems through new ideas and products for HVAC, material handling, software and computers, safety and security, tools, paints/coatings, lighting, flooring, cleaning technologies, environmental technologies, maintenance and reliability.

For more information on National Manufacturing Week 2006, exhibitsMarch 21-23, Conference March 20-23, visit www.manufacturingweek.com.

The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), the nation'slargest industrial trade association, representing small and largemanufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states, isNational Manufacturing Week's sponsor. Headquartered in Washington,D.C., the NAM has 10 additional offices across the country. Visit theNAM's award-winning web site at www.nam.org for more information aboutmanufacturing and the economy.

Reed Exhibitions, which manages more than 430 trade shows annuallyworldwide, is a member of Reed Elsevier Group plc, a world-leadingprovider of information-driven services and solutions. ReedExhibitions offers integrated market access programs coveringexhibitions, trade publications, direct marketing and the Internet toa database of 3.5 million in North America. Reed has North Americanoffices in Norwalk, CT; Waltham, MA; Palm Beach, FL; Las Vegas, NV;and Toronto, ONT (Canada) and operations offices worldwide. (NYSE:RUK)(NYSE:ENL).