Les Schwab Tire Centers will open a new retread plant in Rupert, Idaho, later this year that is scheduled to begin operations by the third quarter of 2005.
The Prineville, Ore.-based dealership is moving equipment into a pre-existing building and will start hiring personnal near the end of the month.
The plant will employ up to 20 people at first and 30 by the end of 2005, say Les Schwab officials.
"Rupert had a ready-to-occupy, large building with additional land availability, which gives us space to grow and expand future operations here," says Dave Husk, director of development for Les Schwab.
Les Schwab Tire Centers is the third largest independent tire dealership in North America with more than 300 stores, according to Modern Tire Dealer data.
It also is the seventh largest retreader in the United States with four plants and a daily output of 1,428 medium truck and some 50 light truck retreads.
