Two iconic brands – James Bond and Caterpillar Inc.– join together for the 23rd Bond adventure, Skyfall. The Bond films are known for action-packed opening sequences, and in Skyfall part of the thrilling sequence features James Bond, played by Daniel Craig, operating a Cat excavator. Of course only the British Secret Service agent does it on a train that’s barreling down the tracks through the Turkish countryside.
“Seeing our machine on the big screen is exciting. Seeing it featured in the world’s longest running film franchise is simply amazing,” said Diane Lantz-Rickard, Caterpillar Global Brand Marketing Manager. “Our brand has been featured in more than 20 movies dating as far back as 1927, and we worked with the Bond films previously in THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH, 1999. We’re proud to continue the association with such a respected and globally known brand.”
Caterpillar prides itself on designing and building equipment to meet customers’ needs. In this case, the customization involved something unique – putting the cab on the opposite side of the 320D L as requested by EON Productions, the James Bond production company.
“The cab switch, required for the location of the shoot and interaction between characters, took several months of pre-planning,” said Robert Woodley, Caterpillar Communications Manager for Europe, Africa, Middle East and the CIS. “The biggest challenge involved changing the electronics and hydraulics to accommodate the cab on the other side of the machine. Ultimately, two 320D L excavators were produced in Caterpillar’s Akashi, Japan, plant for SKYFALL. Cat dealers Finning UK and Borusan Makina were in on the action, too. Finning UK assisted the special effects (SFX) department in technical support and supply of parts for the excavators. At the site, Borusan Makina provided on-site expertise and services as well as equipment, such as generator sets, a skid steer loader and mini hydraulic excavator, for the shoot.”
The world premiere of Skyfall will be in London on October 23, 2012. It opens in UK cinemas on October 26, and continues showing worldwide on subsequent dates.. To catch a glimpse of 007 and the 320D L in action, watch the movie trailer at http://www.007.com/videos/.
