The China arm of Caterpillar Inc, the US-based maker of construction and mining equipment, as well as engines, has reached the sales milestone of 20,000 units of mini hydraulic excavators, and is ready to expand its capacity to better serve both the bullish local market and some overseas markets.

China is the world's largest market for mini excavators (the under 10-metric-ton class). Last year, some 40,766 units were sold in China, an increase of 31.1 percent year-on-year.

Mini excavators, each of which could retail for between 300,000 yuan ($45,510) and 400,000 yuan in China, account for more than 40 percent of the hydraulic excavators market.