SHANGHAI — In yet another scene from a marriage made in Peoria, partners Caterpillar and Navistar are reportedly finalizing a $586-million deal with China’s Jianghuai Auto.

The resulting partnership will produce trucks built in Jianghuai’s home base in the eastern city of Hefei.

The factory’s projected capacity is 40,000 units.

The half-billion investment is almost twice as much as previously reported and the deal would help secure the manufacturers’ position in the $22-billion Chinese trucking industry. (Beijing sunk about $600 billion into the country’s economic stimulus package last year.)

Navistar and the Chinese car manufacturer are also working on a separate diesel-engine partnership, according the Reuters news service.

"There will actually be two joint ventures. The engine venture is meant to be a supplier for the truck project," a source told Reuters.

"The partners have already reached agreement on major issues. They are pouring over some technical details now and the case could be closed pretty soon."

The trucks will initially be sold in China and other emerging Asian markets.

Daimler and MAN have also invested heavily in the Chinese market.