Michelin North America will double its capacity to make X One wide single truck tires with an $80 million expansion of its Waterville, Nova Scotia plant. “X One tires have more than doubled in sales every year since the tire was first launched in late 2000,” says Lynn Mann, public relations director for Michelin North America.
To date, X One tires have been made only at Michelin’s plant in Spartanburg, S.C. “This investment and the assignment of the revolutionary X One tire production to Waterville is a testament to the skills of our people and their ability to deliver and remain competitive in the global tire market,” says Grant Ferguson, plant manager.
The expansion will make Waterville Michelin’s second-largest truck-tire plant. About 75 new jobs will be added as the project progresses. Michelin’s nearby Bridgewater facility will provide wire products, and its nearby Granton plant will provide rubber materials.
The province made a $9 million commitment to the plant. “An investment in Nova Scotia is a smart investment, and it demonstrates confidence in Nova Scotia’s ability to innovate and to deliver in a fiercely competitive global economy,” says Premier John Hamm.
