January 25, 2021 at 11:30 p.m. | Updated January 26, 2021 at 2:03 a.m.
Nokian Tyres plans to add up to 150 jobs in Dayton, Tennessee, within a few months as the tire manufacturer aims to about double its plant workforce.
The Finnish company has begun hiring more employees to work in its mixing, tire production, maintenance and logistics areas, as well as in general factory overhead and quality control.
Production operator positions, which are the vast majority of the jobs for which Nokian is hiring, start at between $15 and $18 per hour, depending on the specific role, according to the company.
Blake Markham, the Dayton factory's human resources operations manager, said the latest hiring phase will nearly double its workforce and allow Nokian to significantly increase production.
The company will have about 300 workers when this latest round of hiring is complete at the end of March.
"Nokian Tyres is eager to welcome new employees to our team as part of our quest to be an employer of choice in Southeast Tennessee," Markham said.
According to Nokian, most production posts require a high school diploma or graduate equivalency degree (GED) with an associate's degree preferred from an accredited community, technical or vocational college. Also, the company is seeking workers with one to two years of direct experience in a manufacturing environment.
In addition, the plant is looking for employees with experience with lean-process improvement tools and an interest in advancing knowledge in that area, officials said.
The growing workforce will enable the factory to expand from two production shifts to four.
Go online to NokianTires.com/DaytonFactory
Plant spokesman Wes Boling said that having four unique groups of employees, each working 12-hour shifts, will enable the plant "to produce tires 24-7" and achieve efficiency by reducing the number of equipment shutdowns.
That step is needed as the company seeks to satisfy rising demand for its products in North America, including the Nokian Tyres One, an all-season passenger tire the company launched in this month.
Steve Bourassa, the company's North America director of products, said during the tire's launch this month that it has better handling, durability, a more even wear and reduces interior and exterior noise.
The tire is equipped with Aramid Armor cord, which he described as a Kevlar-like feature, reducing damages in the side-wall area.
Bourassa said Nokian will offer a "pothole protection warranty" for drivers who purchase the tire, providing free replacement if it's damaged beyond repair by rough roads or curbs.
The $360 million Southeast Tennessee facility opened in fall 2019. Nokian plans to hire about 400 employees by 2023 to produce tires and oversee operations at the Dayton factory. Officials eventually want to make as many as 4 million tires per year at the facility.
The plant also can store as many as 600,000 tires at an onsite distribution facility.
Contact Mike Pare at mpare@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @MikePareTFP.
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