LEXINGTON, S.C. (Oct. 12, 2012)—Michelin North America Inc. has inaugurated production on the expanded manufacturing line at its Lexington passenger and light truck tire plant, 17 months after announcing the $200 million investment.
The expansion project will create 270 jobs once production has ramped up, Michelin said. Employment will rise to more than 1,700 with the new jobs, according to published data on the plant.
Michelin did not comment on the project's impact on the plant's capacity, which is listed as 25,000 units a day. When the company announced the investment in May 2011, it said the project would focus on creating capacity at the 1.2 million-sq.-ft. plant for larger diameter performance tires for SUVs and crossovers.
"This investment allows us to meet increasing market demands for Michelin tires," said Peter Sutton, Lexington site manager for MNA.
The project employs the latest technologies, making the new tire production line among the most advanced in the world, Michelin said without releasing details of which technology or technologies are being used.