A new Continental plant near Clinton, Miss., will start manufacturing truck and bus tires for the United States market in 2020.
The plant represents a $1.4 billion investment and will employ 2,500 people when it "reaches full capacity in the next decade," according to Continental AG officials.
Approximately 300 guests, including state and local officials, customers, suppliers, community members and 250 of the company's employees, attended the plant's grand opening event yesterday. "This is Continental's first new plant dedicated to truck tires in the world," says Paul Williams, executive vice president, Commercial Vehicle Tires, the Americas. "We have seen tremendous growth in this area of our business and the addition of this production facility will help us continue to satisfy customer orders."
The completion of the plant, which Continental began building in 2016, "signifies a major step in our global long-term growth strategy for Continental Tires, called Vision 2025," says Christian Koetz, head of Continental's tire division. "Mississippi is a critical part of this strategy, providing the best options for us to grow the tire business in the Americas region. We plan to grow here together with our amazing team in Clinton and we appreciate the strong support we have received from all involved." The Clinton plant is located on a 1,000-acre greenfield site some 20 miles from Jackson, Miss.
