At least Komatsu Chief Kunio Noji's employees didn't lock him in his office. Like U.S. rival Caterpillar, the Tokyo construction equipment maker has run into trouble. Both companies had counted on a boom in China and other emerging economies. With the boom turned to bust, Komatsu has slashed its sales forecast for the year ended Mar. 31, to $1.1 billion from $2.2 billion. Komatsu's shares have slumped 60% to $12. But while Caterpillar workers in France barricaded four executives inside an office for the better part of a day in late March, Komatsu announced a sliver of good news: It is ending production shutdowns at its main plant in Awazu, Japan after cutting down on excess inventory. Meantime, Komatsu is trying to take advantage of the green trend, releasing the world's firstrnhybrid excavator.
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