Mitas has opened its newest radial farm tire factory in Charles City, IA, which has adopted the name “tractor town.” Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, Charles City Mayor James Erb and Mitas representatives Tomas Nemec and Oldrich Slemr cut the ribbon to start serial production of farm tires. Mitas announced it would accelerate its $52 million investment to achieve the full production capacity of 13,500 metric tons of tires a year by 2013, which is three years earlier than originally anticipated.
“Mitas is now an American-made brand,” says Tomas Nemec, the chairman of Mitas’ parent company, CGS. “Mitas invites all farmers to buy tires made in the tractor town.”
The newly opened plant makes all common agricultural tire sizes and will eventually produce sizes of up to 54 in. diameter and 1,200 mm width. The last curing press will be installed by mid-2013. In April, the factory employed 76 full-time employees recruited locally, and by 2013 the plant will employ 237 local residents.
The Charles City facility received its ISO 9001 in March, and the National Safety Council has awarded it Gold-level Recognition for Incident Rate Excellence during 2011. The project has received support from the Iowa Economic Development Authority, Charles City Development Corporation, Floyd County and North Iowa Community College.
“The American farmer will benefit from increased competition,” Nemec adds as Mitas has become the third radial agricultural tire producer in the United States. “Good tractor tires are worth their weight in gold,” says Senator Chuck Grassley (R) in his video message to Mitas. “A quality product is exactly what we need,” he adds.
