In the yellow metal equipment space, Caterpillar is one of the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) that has always led the way in hauling solutions. In fact, the company offers a wide variety of hauling systems and solutions for the quarrying industry that are designed to increase productivity, lower total cost of ownership, and provide customers with increased profitability.
For the African quarrying market, says Suarez, a new addition to the Cat product line has been introduced in 2026, supporting quarry sites with more choices of products designed for their operations to help them navigate some of the toughest challenges. Latest from Caterpillar is the 66-tonne (t) Cat 707 wide body truck – the first of its nature in the Cat hauling solutions range. It is available for select regions with US EPA Tier 3 and equivalent emissions standards, including Africa, Middle East, Asia Pacific, South America, Southeast Asia and Eurasia.
“Wide body trucks’ ideal application is quarries with horizontal layouts where flat hauls and lower grades on ramps are the order of the day. In such an environment, wide body trucks are perfect for overburden campaigns, stockpile management, and flat haulage from face to crusher in single-face quarries. The optimised Cat engine, Cat transmission and Cat axles deliver a 66-t maximum payload capacity, making the Cat 707 an affordable hauler that can lower cost per tonne,” says Suarez.
Cat 707 in detail
Built for long life and high uptime availability, the new Cat 707 wide body truck features a fully integrated Cat powertrain, including a Cat C13 engine, a Cat automatic transmission, and proprietary Cat axles. With its 66-tonne maximum payload, the new wide body truck design offers the option of standard or heavy-duty configurations and the choice of 40- or 42-m³ sizes to match the material and jobsite conditions.
“Caterpillar engineered this new wide body truck with a unique philosophy: it is built to be rebuilt, offering consistent mechanical availability from Cat powertrain components and longevity through a second lifecycle,” says Suarez.
The Cat 707 can be configured with the 400-kW Cat C13B engine to meet China Nonroad Stage IV emissions standards or the 358-kW C13, which emits equivalent to US EPA Tier 3 regulations. Both options include a standard engine brake set at a high rating. The truck’s six-speed automatic transmission can be equipped with an optional integrated hydraulic retarder.
For reliability, the 707 features proprietary Cat axles, integrated Cat powertrain controllers, and Cat wiring and electric harnesses. Three brake and retardation levels – integrated Cat engine brake, optional Cat hydraulic retarder, and parking and service brakes – provide superior downhill loaded control for enhanced safety and faster hauling cycles.
The new 707 offers ideal pass matches with Cat 986, 988 and 988 XE loaders and Cat 350, 374 and 395 excavators for improved productivity.
The new wide body truck’s left-side operator seat placement and optional right-side instructor seat provide easier operation and comfort for the operator and trainer. The cab features sturdy, four-point mounting and protection is provided by a standard falling object protective structure (FOPS) and optional rollover protective structure (ROPS) for enhanced safety. An available reversing camera helps improve manoeuvring safety.
Automatic shifting with simple gear selection transmission controls helps to increase efficiency, and the truck’s hoist system offers fast, 20-second raise and lower cycle times to quickly unload material.
The fully integrated Cat powertrain components are mounted onto a durable, reinforced chassis. When coupled with flexible Cat Customer Value Agreements (CVAs), customers can achieve higher uptime during the new truck’s service life, while maintaining reliable mechanical performance and longevity through a second lifecycle.
When shutting down the truck safely, a ground-level engine shut-off switch stops fuel to the engine when activated.
Grouped service points help customers spend less time and money on maintenance. The new 707 wide body truck offers parts commonality with other Cat machines with common C13 engine, CX31RT transmission, and common cab. LED lights provide longer life and brighter illumination with less power consumption and are more resistant to vibration and water damage.
Formidable ADT Line up
The new wide body truck joins an already formidable line up of Cat articulated dump trucks (ADTs) with a payload range from 30- to 45-t. The range comprises the 730, 735, 740 and 745 models, and the line includes two ejector dump truck models ideal for earthmoving.
The three-axle articulated trucks are well-suited to handle steep grades, rough terrain and generally poor haul conditions. This all-round versatility makes articulated trucks a preferred option for the varying conditions of many quarry operations in Africa.
“Cat articulated trucks bring a suite of machine features such as Cat Operator Coaching to assist operators for safer and more efficient operations. The unique Dynamic Roll Protection supports rollover prevention and works in parallel with the already successful Cat Detect with Stability Assist, thus reducing downtime and any repairs that may be required from machine rollover events,” says Suarez.
Off-highway trucks
Caterpillar’s off-highway trucks are well-suited to haul a wide range of material types with multiple liner choices and rated payload capacities. These trucks reach the highest speeds on well-maintained haul roads in quarry and aggregate sites, making them the ideal choice for primary production process, hauling material from face to crusher in high production environments, whether sites have flat haulage, long uphill stretches or downhill grades.
“The superior power to weight ratio and higher retarding capabilities make highway trucks ideal for sites with high production rates in any site layout,” says Suarez.
The line of Cat off-highway trucks designed for quarries includes models with payload ranges from 30 up to 100 tonnes, with the 773 (60-t payload) and 777 (100-t payload) being the most popular models in African quarries.
“Cat durable chassis allow for multiple powertrain rebuilds; this makes it possible for the Cat rigid frame trucks to run for several lifecycles in quarry sites. This ability to run much higher hours than other types of models, means Cat off-highway trucks can deliver a lower cost per tonne,” concludes Suarez.
