CHARLES CITY, Iowa (April 10, 2013) — Mitas Tires North America is adding capacity for three additional farm tire sizes — in 26-, 38- and 50-inch rim diameters — at its one-year-old Charles City plant.
The company also disclosed plans for making tires up to 54 inches in rim diameter and 1,200mm width.
Mitas' investment plans for Charles City included installing three more curing presses by year-end, to bring capacity up to the stated nameplate annual capacity of 13,500 metric tons.
The presses and associated equipment fall under Mitas' three-year, $53 million investment package announced in mid-2010.
Employment at the converted recreational-vehicle assembly plant should reach 237 by year-end, Mitas said, up from 188 currently.
The three new sizes are a combine tire, at 750/65R26 SFT, and two tractor sizes, 380/95R38 AC 85 and 480/95R50 AC 85. The new sizes are in response to demand for larger tires with lower aspect ratios from farm equipment manufacturers and the replacement tire market, according to Neil Rayson, Mitas' senior vice president for sales and marketing in North America.
Separately, Mitas Tires North America President Pavel Charvat said the firm's sales in North America hit $59 million last year, or about 10 percent of the firm's global sales.