Conti completes Illinois expansion ahead of schedule

ERJ staff report (TB)

Tire Business staff report

Mount Vernon, Illinois -- Continental Tire the Americas llc has completed work on the 438 000-sq.-ft. (40 691 sq.m) expansion at its plant in Mount Vernon ahead of schedule, and workers there have begun making tires in the new wing.

Conti broke ground on the $224 million expansion 12 May.

Conti said it has hired 50 new employees out of 444 the company expects to hire by the time the expansion is fully completed, in 2014.

The investment is expected to expand passenger and light truck tire capacity 45 percent to 13.4 million units annually and commercial tire capacity 15 percent to 3.15 million units. Employment will rise to more than 3000.

“Our team worked diligently to ensure the success of this expansion project and it was not only on time, but actually ahead of schedule,” said Benny Harmse, vice president of manufacturing. “Their diligence resulted in the early production of the first tires from this expansion.”

Additionally, the Greater Egypt Regional Planning and Development Commission recognised Conti on 20 Oct as the Business of the Year in recognition of the plant's contribution to the southern Illinois regional economic growth.

This is an external link and should open in a new window. If the window does not appear, please check your pop-up blocking software. ERJ is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Article from Tire Business (a Crain publication)