UBJ MANUFACTURING
Trelleborg to Invest $50M in Spartanburg County European tire maker will create approximately 150 jobs JOE TOPPE | STAFF
jtoppe@communityjournals.com Spartanburg County has been selected as the site of North America’s lone manufacturing representative for a leading global supplier of off-road tires. Trelleborg Wheel Systems will invest $50 million in a 430,000-squarefoot facility designed to produce radial tires for agricultural machinery. Located on the company’s existing Spartanburg property, which includes Trelleborg Coated Systems US Inc., the additional investment is expected to begin production in late 2015 and create approximately 150 jobs over the next four years. By introducing domestic manufacturing of the tire line, company officials believe the location of the new facility
will provide Trelleborg with advantages in supplying the North American market. The facility is believed to be strategically important to the company’s growth, while supporting global production of radial tires for both original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and tire dealers. “In coming to Spartanburg County, we’ll be located in a modern facility and a prime location, capitalizing on existing partnership agreements with major OEMs and distributors while facilitating the transfer of technology from one part of the world to another,” said Maurizio Vischi, president of the Trelleborg Wheel Systems Business Area. With existing sales in both the United States and Canada, local production will offer more favorable conditions and enhance the company’s competitiveness, he said.
The $50 million investment will also include the latest in new machinery, according to the company’s technology standards, and will be fully installed by 2018. The state-of-the-art equipment is expected to cater to market growth and ensure that OEMs, dealers and farmers benefit from Trelleborg’s proximity and product availability. With facilities all over the world, choosing to build in Spartanburg County says a lot about the state’s workforce and business environment, said Gov. Nikki Haley. The Palmetto State has a strong partnership with Trelleborg, and its decision to provide a manufacturing facility in South Carolina is testament to that partnership, she said. “We congratulate them on their decision to invest $50 million and create 150 new
jobs in Spartanburg County.” With global sales in excess of $3 billion annually, Trelleborg Wheel Systems Americas, a division of the Italy-based Trelleborg Wheel Systems Business Area and part of the Trelleborg Group, employs more than 15,000 in approximately 90 manufacturing plants in 40 countries worldwide. “We are pleased that Trelleborg will be repurposing their Spartanburg County facility for the Trelleborg Wheel Systems Group,” said David Britt, chairman of the Economic Recruitment Committee of Spartanburg County and member of the Economic Futures Group board. “We welcome this international operation supplying the agricultural industry, and greatly appreciate their investment and job opportunities,” he said.
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CARLTON MOTORCARS
2014 ML350 SUV
www.CarltonMotorcars.com | 864-213-8000 | 800-801-3131 | 2446 Laurens Road, Greenville, SC 29607 May 16, 2014
UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL
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