On January 2, Mitas’ factory in Charles City, IA, started making radial farm tires 24/7. This is in line with an increase of the factory’s output as new machinery is currently being installed. Today, the factory runs two 12-hour shifts a day, seven days a week; each shift averages 40 hours of work a week. Since summer, six additional curing presses and eight tire-building machines have been installed. The factory now employs 179 local people.
“Mitas seeks new tire builders and other employees,” says Pavel Charvat, the plant director. By the end of 2013, Mitas’ Charles City plant is expected to have up to 237 employees and a production capacity of 13,500 metric tons a year. The total investment will have been USD 52 million, and the full production capacity will be reached three years earlier than originally planned.
Since April 2012, when Mitas started its tire production in Charles City, 1,700 metric tons of tires have been produced and sold to customers, mainly in North America. There have been 24 American employees undergoing training at Mitas’ plants in Europe.
