Caterpillar Offers Product Demos Via Periscope, Drones

Words: Dan KamysTo demonstrate its products, large-equipment manufacturer Caterpillar is experimenting with drone and Periscope technologies. Peoria. Ill.-based Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT) started the initiative recently with multiple videos streaming from its facilities. In one video, Caterpillar representatives explained that these demonstrations are generally given for customers and dealers. Another video showed the company’s heavy machinery from above, shot from a drone. Caterpillar is exposing new audiences to its products. While a good deal of the audience for these online demonstrations might be people who download the Periscope app specifically to watch Caterpillar, the company is hoping to reach new audiences. The company found Periscope attractive because it includes opportunities for audience interaction through its chat feature, which, in turn, fits with the product demonstrations,  including question-and-answer segments. This article first appeared at www.bizjournals.com/chicago.
A Practical Guide to Modern Masonry Restoration
February 2026

THE MYTH: Masonry Lasts Forever It’s strong, yes, but movement, moisture, and time still take their toll. Common Causes Why Masonry Fails: - Differential movement - Thermal expansion & contraction - Moisture intrusion & freeze–thaw - Corrosion of steel

CMU Partitions: How Much Reinforcement Is Actually Required?
February 2026

Walk onto almost any job site and you’ll find masons laying out interior partitions much the same way they did decades ago. The work looks straightforward: stack the units, strike clean joints, and keep the wall plumb. And the function of these partitions

MASONRY STRONG Podcast, Episode 37 Recap: Starling Johnson, VP of Sales at STALITE Lightweight Aggregate
February 2026

On this episode of the MASONRY STRONG Podcast, Starling Johnson joins the set in Indianapolis to talk about her path within masonry, sales in this industry, and life outside of work.

Masonry Restoration: Why Walls Fail and How We Fix Them
February 2026

Masonry doesn’t crack. Old brick never has issues. Every masonry wall lasts 100 years or more… right? If only that were true. Masonry is one of the most durable building materials ever used, but like all construction, it responds to time, movement, mo