Michelin North America (www.michelin-us.com) announced today it is investing $350 million to improve and expand each of its major manufacturing facilities in South Carolina over the next four years.
The tire maker said this latest round of investments would upgrade all the company’s plants in Anderson, Greenville, Lexington and Spartanburg counties,
and will add approximately 100 new manufacturing jobs to the company’s 7,850 current employees in South Carolina.
“With increasing competition from Asian imports and high raw material costs, Michelin will remain competitive in North America by continuing to manufacture tires in more efficient operations with skilled professional employees,” said Jim Micali, chairman & president of Michelin North America, Inc.
Michelin said expansion at some of the affected facilities has “just commenced to meet the growing market demand for Michelin tires across several product lines” and said all these investments will be accomplished between now and the end of 2011. The full Michelin investment and job growth is based on finalizing appropriate agreements with state and county governments.
“Over the last 30 years, Michelin has invested more than $2 billion in South Carolina with excellent results,” said Micali. “This is our home and we have enjoyed a wonderful relationship with the state over these past three decades. As always, we are grateful to the state legislature for passing the necessary legislation and to county officials for facilitating Michelin’s ability to again expand our business and our investment in the state.”
Michelin noted it established its “first modern plant in the United States” in Greenville in 1975.
