MAYFIELD, Ky.-Continental Tire North America Inc. will increase tire production at its Mayfield factory by 2,000 units a day over the next two months in response to a new contract with Ford Motor Co. and several upcoming new tire introductions.
The production increase will mean the addition of about 65 hourly production jobs at the facility in varied positions from machine operator to tire builder, according to Ken Herndon, Conti's human resources manager at the plant. That will bring total employment at Mayfield to 1,350, with 1,200 of those hourly production workers.
No new equipment will be needed to handle the increased production because Continental had continued to invest in the plant and actually had added some equipment in 2001, although a planned increase was tabled when the economy ``went the other way,'' he said. ``We're pretty much set with equipment. We just need the people.''
Conti plans to add 1,000 tires a day in March and by May 1 start making the additional 1,000 tires for the daily ticket, he said. ``That's our schedule. That will give us time to get the new employees trained gradually over a period of time.''
After the production upgrade, Mayfield will manufacture about 20,000 passenger and light truck tires a day, he said.
Conti will be adding production because it will supply the 2003 Ford Expedition (see page 4) and because it plans to introduce five new broad market General and Continental brand tires and six private brand lines throughout 2002. ``Some of those tires will be built in the Mayfield plant,'' Mr. Herndon said.