Freightliner Expands to
Meet Demand for Trucks

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Freightliner is adding a third shift and hiring 593 full-time workers at its Cleveland, N.C., truck plant to keep up with increased demand for Class 8 trucks. The North Carolina plant has increased its output throughout the year in response to the improving North American heavy-duty truck market, which hit 40,077 sales in the first quarter.

"The North American heavy-duty truck market continues its vigorous recovery and we have a positive outlook for further improvement," said Rainer Schmueckle, President and CEO of Freightliner, a unit of DaimlerChrysler.

The Cleveland, N.C., plant is Freightliner's largest manufacturing facility. The plant currently employs 3,000 people in the production of Class 8 trucks. The new shift is scheduled to begin in mid-July. The company has already begun hiring for the new production positions.

Freightliner's parts manufacturing plant in Gastonia, N.C., is expanding as well. It recently hired 100 full-time employees. The Gastonia plant makes cab and chassis parts for Freightliner's truck manufacturing operations and parts distribution centers. The plant now employs 875 people.

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