Michelin North America Inc. is investing $22 million in its Dothan, Ala., facility in order to increase the production of its high-performance light truck and SUV passenger tires.
Michelin says the investment will create about 40 new jobs at the plant. Currently, the Dothan facility employs 560 people.
“Over the past several years, the Dothan site has demonstrated its ability to deliver the high-quality tires that consumers demand from Michelin,” says Pete Selleck, chairman and president of Michelin North America. “This investment here is a testament to the trust we have in our Dothan employees.”
Selleck said the investment will include significant equipment upgrades that will result in a 10% increase in production.
“This is an exciting time for our Dothan site," he says. "The plant just celebrated its 35th anniversary of operation and this project will help position Dothan to continue to be a strategic part of Michelin’s future in the North American market.”
Since 1975 when it began manufacturing tires here, Michelin has invested over $8.6 billion in the U.S.
Installation of the upgrades has begun at the facility and will be completed by the summer of 2016.
Headquartered in Greenville, S.C., Michelin North America employs about 21,700 people and operates 20 production facilities in 17 locations in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
Michelin makes the LTX M/S2, Latitude Tour and Premier LTX at the Dothan plant. The recently launched Premier LTX is Michelin's newest offering for light trucks, SUVs and crossovers. For details, see “More Michelin Premier: Line to replace Latitude.”
