These infrastructure projects augur well for Caterpillar as they will increase the demand for construction equipment and machinery manufactured by the company.

FORBES: Caterpillar's Stock Digs Up Gains On China's New Stimulus

More recently, measures from the Chinese government to control rising real estate prices will further suppress sales of construction equipment and machinery in the country, and thereby impact Caterpillar.

FORBES: China Will Drive Caterpillar's Long-Term Growth Despite Recent Weakness

The storm probably means an uptick in demand for construction machinery and power-generation equipment for such companies as Caterpillar Inc.

WSJ: Industry Adapts Quickly to Storm

During the commodities boom, exports of farm equipment and construction machinery from companies such as Caterpillar and John Deere helped boost the state's economy.

ECONOMIST: Statewatch: Illinois

Now China is seen as an opportunity, largely because the things that China needs steel, capital equipment, construction machinery and so on are, as it happens, just the sort of stuff that Japanese companies are good at making.

ECONOMIST: Buttonwood

Key industries in the region that are expected to benefit the most include: construction, machinery manufacturing, fabricated metal manufacturing, water transportation, professional and technical services, electrical equipment manufacturing, plastics products manufacturing and primary metals manufacturing.

FORBES: 'Icebreaker': Offshore Wind Making Waves in Energy and Economic Development

And execs see opportunity in making machinery that's fuel efficient or helps increase fuel efficiency: turbo chargers for cars, engines for construction equipment and liquid chilling equipment.

FORBES: Magazine Article