Michelin is expanding its Nova Scotia presence and creating new jobs in the Annapolis Valley, supported by an investment from the province.
“When a company is coming here, or expanding here, I want it to be profitable enough to re-invest and keep hiring Nova Scotians,” said Premier Darrell Dexter. “Companies like Michelin can choose to grow anywhere. I’m happy that they have chosen to keep growing in Nova Scotia, meaning more good jobs, more families and more young people.”
Michelin will invest $64.1 million to expand its Waterville facility as part of a $73-million project. The investment is expected to create 50 new, high-value jobs in rural Nova Scotia, and improve and expand the company’s production of tire products. The province will invest up to $8.9 million in jobs created by the project, an investment that will benefit the province long after it is fully recovered in about eight to nine years.
“Companies like Michelin have demonstrated that Nova Scotians, and particularly the workers and industries in rural Nova Scotia, can be among the world’s best in quality and productivity,” said Premier Dexter.
Michelin’s capital project will include installing new technologies in all aspects of the manufacturing process, which will support the success and continued growth of wide-based tire products like the Michelin X-One for commercial trucking in North America.
The project will also include a 3,000 sq.-metre building expansion.
“Today’s announcement shows once again that Michelin believes in both the province of Nova Scotia and our highly skilled employees,” said Mr. Dana LeBlanc, president, Michelin North America (Canada) Inc. “The demand is growing in North America for our wide-based tire products like the Michelin X-One, and this manufacturing investment at Waterville will help us meet that demand.”
Michelin operates three plants in the province and employs more than 3,500 Nova Scotians. The company has invested heavily in technology and facilities, demonstrating its ability to deliver high-quality products and adapt to changing economic and market conditions.
Michelin’s Nova Scotia plants are well known within the company as being leaders in technology and productivity.
“We are proud to have Michelin in our community and happy Michelin has chosen to grow in Kings County,” said County of Kings Warden Diana Brothers. “This expansion will create high-value jobs in our rural municipality that will help families and young people continue to prosper.”
A Dalhousie University report found the province gains about $70 million per year in tax revenue from Nova Scotians employed by Michelin in the province.
The province’s investment is from the Nova Scotia Jobs Fund, which pursues investment opportunities for communities in transition, industry sectors, regional support, small businesses programs, infrastructure and large industrial ventures.
PRESS RELEASE below is from Michelin:
MICHELIN ANNOUNCES $73 MILLION INVESTMENT AT WATERVILLE, NOVA SCOTIA PLANT
Waterville, Nova Scotia, (January 17, 2013) –Michelin North America reinforced its commitment to the province of Nova Scotia today by announcing a $73 million(CDN) project investment at its Waterville truck tire plant. Michelin anticipates the investment will create approximately 50 new jobs in the Annapolis Valley.
“Today’s announcement shows once again that Michelin believes in both the province of Nova Scotia and our highly skilled employees,” said Mr. Dana LeBlanc, president, Michelin North America (Canada) Inc. ”The demand is growing in North America for our wide based tire products like the MICHELIN ® X One®, and this manufacturing investment at Waterville will help us meet that demand.”
“Companies like Michelin have demonstrated that Nova Scotians, and particularly the workers and industries in rural Nova Scotia, can be among the world’s best in quality and productivity,” said Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter. “This investment will help Michelin create an anticipated 50 new, high-value jobs in rural Nova Scotia.”
LeBlanc said, “We appreciate our long-standing partnership with the provincial government and we are certainly proud of our over 40-year history of manufacturing in this province. This investment is even more special, as Waterville just celebrated 30-years of manufacturing last year.”
The Michelin Waterville Plant will make capital investments in equipment improvements and increased production capacity over the next four to five years. The project will include the installation of new technologies in all aspects of the manufacturing process, supporting the success and continued growth of wide based tire products like the MICHELIN ® X One® for commercial trucking in North America. In addition, the project will include a 3,000 sq. metre assembly building expansion. Hiring for positions will be ongoing as the project develops.
About Michelin Waterville:
Opened in 1982, Michelin Waterville manufactures radial truck and off the road (OTR) and heavy-duty earthmover tires. During Waterville’s last significant expansion period from 2005-2007, Michelin invested $92 Million to begin production of the revolutionary MICHELIN ® X One® wide single truck tires in Waterville for the North American marketplace. Michelin Waterville celebrated the production of its 30 millionth tire in October 2010, which coincidentally was a MICHELIN ® X One® tire.
About Michelin North America (Canada) Inc.
www.michelin.ca
With 115,000 employees and sales organizations in more than 170 countries, Michelin is a worldwide leader of tire manufacturers. Dedicated to the improvement of sustainable mobility, Michelin designs, manufactures and sells tires for every type of vehicle, including airplanes, automobiles, bicycles, earthmovers, farm equipment, heavy-duty trucks and motorcycles on 72 production sites in 19 countries throughout five continents. The company also publishes travel guides, hotel and restaurant guides, maps and road atlases and offers electronic mobility support services, on ViaMichelin.com.
Michelin North America headquarters are located in Greenville, South Carolina, and the company employs more than 22,000 people in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Michelin Canada has over 3,700 employees, with 3,500 employees working at Michelin’s three tire production plants in the communities of Bridgewater, Pictou County (Granton) and Waterville. Michelin Canada’s Marketing and Sales teams are located in Laval, Quebec.
Innovative 
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