Further construction at Toyo Tire North America Manufacturing Inc.'s White, Ga., plant remains on schedule. However, the number of machines that will be installed upon completion "will likely to be fewer than originally planned," says a Toyo spokesperson.
"As production increases, we will have new space to add machines and increase output quickly."
In late August, Toyo announced it would invest $270 million to more than double the two-year-old factory's output, boosting total volume to 5.2 million units per year by 2011.
The plant uses Toyo's highly automated Advanced Tire Operation Module (A.T.O.M.) system, which is designed for small-lot production.
"The key to our manufacturing process in Georgia... is flexibility. (A.T.O.M.) allows us to add one or more machines easily, when needed, to meet market demands."
