CARLISLE, Pa. (July 21, 2009)—Carlisle Tire & Wheel will phase out production at its plant in Carlisle over the next 12 to 15 months, according to President Fred A. Sutter.
The company plans to consolidate production from the Carlisle plant with that from the former Bowdon, Ga., facility at a 568,000-sq.-ft. plant in Jackson, Tenn., Sutter said. Some of CTW's Chinese production also will be transferred to Jackson, he said.
Some 340 workers—20 percent salaried, the rest hourly—are currently employed at the Carlisle plant, down from a peak of 600-800. Sutter said it has already asked some Carlisle employees to transfer to Jackson, and added that any employee who wants to transfer to Jackson will be given a relocation allowance.
Sutter expects the Jackson facility to go on stream in phases within the next 15 to 18 months, with employment in the mid-400s. The plant will specialize in agricultural and construction tires, but will also make some high-end commercial outdoor power equipment tires, he said.
Purchase of the Jackson site from Whirlpool Corp. is still pending, but Sutter said he did not think there was any chance the deal would not go through. He did not disclose the purchase price. Meanwhile, CTW will maintain a 260,000-sq.-ft. distribution center in Carlisle, employing 67.