Mitas accelerating pace of work on Iowa farm tyre plant

ERJ staff report (TB)

Charles City, Iowa -- Agricultural tyre manufacturer Mitas Tires North America Inc. is accelerating the pace of work on and investment in its Charles City farm tyre plant, which is scheduled to start producing tyres by early 2012.

Reacting to what it calls a positive outlook for North America, Mitas said it will shorten the plant's long term construction/expansion schedule to three years from five and boost the investment over that time spand 19 percent to $51 million.

The accelerated schedule will boost the plant's annual capacity to 12,000 metric tons by late 2013, Mitas said. The additional funds will be directed toward tyre-building machines and curing presses.

“Charles City has given the word 'tractor' to the world,” project director Vladimir Dusanek said. “In early 2012, Charles City will start giving a better choice of tractor tyres to the US farmer…. The reason for building the new tyre factory in Iowa is the proximity to original equipment manufacturers such as Case IH.”

Mitas started hiring workers in Iowa recently and will send the first group of US employees to Czech Republic this month for training. According to the firm's original schedule, the plant was to have employed 159 workers by 2012 and up to 262 by 2016.

Formerly called CGS Tires US Inc., Mitas Tires plans to relocate its headquarters to Charles City from Charlotte, N.C., where it's been since October 2004.

Mitas' sales in North America were more than $25 million in 2010, according to figures from the parent company.

From Tire Business (A Crain publication)