Freightliner LLC’s Portland, OR truck manufacturing plant will begin running a second shift and will add about 700 full-time employees. The new shift, due to start in August, is intended to boost output to meet significantly increased demand for Western Star and Freightliner heavy trucks.
“The Freightliner Group continues to see stronger demand across our national heavy-duty truck business,” said Rainer E. Schmueckle, president & CEO of Freightliner LLC. “Favorable economic conditions and customers’ need to replace older equipment or expand their operations are driving a robust recovery of the North American Class 8 market. We expect the market to continue its stronger performance through the end of 2004 and beyond.”
The addition of the second shift over the next few months will bring the plant up to full production capacity, Freightliner said. The plant currently employs 1,100 workers on one shift, while the second shift will bring the facility’s total work force to 1,800.