JACKSON, Tenn. (March 19, 2010) — Carlisle Tire & Wheel Co. started shipping semi-pneumatic agricultural tires to John Deere Co. from its new plant in Jackson this week, according to plant manager Russell Williams.
John Deere officials visited the plant March 8 and 9 and certified it as a supplier of soil compacting wheels, Mr. Williams said.
Currently only eight workers are running the semi-pneumatic line at the Jackson factory, but Carlisle will start hiring workers in April to make pneumatic ag tires, according to Mr. Williams. “The learning curve is longer on pneumatic tires, so we want to make sure our workers are well-trained before we start production,” he said.
By year-end, Carlisle expects to have 440 workers at the Jackson plant and occupy all but about 10,000 square feet of the 568,000-sq.-ft. building, Mr. Williams said.
Carlisle bought the Jackson facility in the fall of 2009, shortly after it announced it would phase out production at its plant in Carlisle, Pa.