Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) has announced it will add a second shift at its Freightliner Truck Manufacturing Plant in Cleveland, North Carolina in order to help boost production. To accommodate this, 1200 new employees will begin working at the company from February 2012. This includes 100 employees at the nearby DTNA Components and Logistics Plant in Gastonia, North Carolina.
The Cleveland facility is the largest Freightliner manufacturing plant in the United States. It manufactures Class 8 heavy-duty truck models including the Freightliner Cascadia, Columbia and Argosy product lines. The addition of 1200 new employees will increase its workforce by around 70 per cent, bringing the numbers up from 1600 to 2700.
DTNA’s decision to increase production is in response to positive market development in the NAFTA region. Freight volume has risen to pre GFC levels and vehicle fleets are being gradually replaced after not having been modernised for several years.
“The growing demand for our products shows that we are on the right track and is testimony to our brands’ focus on providing efficient business solutions for our customers’ transportation needs,” said President and CEO of Daimler Trucks North America, Martin Daum.
Hiring of new employees will begin in early February, and the new production shift is scheduled to be at full capacity by September 2012.