ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times

DATE: Friday, December 15, 1995              TAG: 9512150068
SECTION: BUSINESS                 PAGE: A-17 EDITION: METRO 
DATELINE: PEORIA, ILL.

GOVERNMENT ENDS CATERPILLAR PROBE

The Justice Department has closed an antitrust investigation of Caterpillar Inc. without challenging the company's policies on spare parts sales, the company said Thursday.

Since 1994, the department has been investigating whether Caterpillar uses illegal tactics to control the spare parts market for its earth-moving equipment. The company bars its dealers from selling parts to resellers for export.

The government's interest was prompted by several lawsuits filed against Caterpillar, including allegations that the company had shut out dealers who would not cooperate.

- Associated Press

LENGTH: Short :   25 lines