Michelin North America Inc. is investing $11.3 million at its Norwood, N.C., aviation tire manufacturing plant. Beginning in the second half of 2010, the company will add aviation tire retreading to the plant's operations.
The project is expected to add 74 jobs, which will be phased in over the next 18 months. Hiring for some posts will begin later this month, with the majority of the new jobs expected to be filled by early 2011. The plant employs 320 at this time.
The full Michelin investment and job growth is based on finalizing appropriate agreements with state and county government.
Tires for commercial planes, military jets and the space shuttle have be produced at the 380,000-square-foot facility, according to Dick Wilkerson, Michelin's chairman and president.
"Adding aviation tire retreading is the perfect complement to our current North Carolina operations. This expansion will improve the efficiency of our aviation tire business and help us serve our customers even better in the years to come."
Michelin also owns two Oliver truck tire retreading facilities in Asheboro and Salisbury, N.C.
