PARIS—Michelin North America Inc. will invest $26 million in its Greenville, S.C., passenger and light truck tire plant through 2008 to expand capacity 20 percent.
The investment, announced in Paris Feb. 14 by Michelin Chairman Edouard Michelin, is part of the firm´s strategy to improve its western manufacturing sites through modernization and efficiency efforts.
The investment will focus primarily on process improvements to boost productivity, a Michelin North America spokeswoman said. This will include some new equipment and could involve some new jobs.
The non-union Greenville plant, known locally as U.S. 1, lists its production capacity at 24,000 units a day with 1,550 employees.
Michelin last disclosed a specific investment at the Greenville factory in 1999/2000, when it budgeted $90 million to convert a portion of the plant´s passenger tire capacity to light truck/recreational tire output and expand mold-making capacity.
Michelin invested more than $300 million last year in its facilities, according to Jim Micali, president and chairman of Michelin North America.