Daimler Boosting Production at N.C. Truck Plants
Daimler Trucks North America said Wednesday it will ramp up production next month at two North Carolina truck factories and a third logistics plant, recalling about 540 workers to the facilities.
The workers are expected to be on the job by mid-July at the truck plants in Mt. Holly and Cleveland, N.C., and a components and logistics plant in Gastonia, N.C.
Daily build rates at the Mt. Holly and Cleveland plants are rising sharply in response to strong 2010 order activity, Daimler said in a statement.
In April, DTNA and the United Auto Workers union reached agreement on new labor contracts for the plants that include baseline production commitments it said will provide job stability and security for plant employees. (Click here for previous story.)
Daimler’s customers have ordered more than 21,400 vehicles that meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 2010 emissions standards to date, including 16,565 Freightliner brand trucks.
Some of the engines for the trucks will be made by Detroit Diesel Corp., also a Daimler unit, which said earlier this month it is spending $194 million to “substantially” increase production at its plant in Redford, Mich. (Click here for previous story.)
Daimler’s customers include truckload carrier Schneider National — ranked No. 9 on the Transport Topics 100 listing of U.S. and Canadian for-hire carriers — which recently ordered several hundred 2011-model year Freightliner Cascadia tractors.
