DAYTON, Tenn. – Construction is on track for Nokian Tyres’ new plant to start making tires in the second half of 2019, and that may be just the start, as four more potential phases are eyed.
The initial $360 million phase is well underway, with the first plant wall already up on the 135-acre tract off U.S. Highway 27.
Rendering of Nokian Tyres’ planned Dayton, Tenn., plant.TIMELINE
* May 2017 – Nokian announces Dayton plant* September – Company breaks ground* July 2018 – First wall goes up* First quarter 2019 – Production building to be air tight* Second quarter – Rail line to be complete* Second half 2019 – Production to ramp up* 2020 – Full production to startSource: Nokian Tyres
More construction milestones are ahead, with the raising of structural steel for the factory set for August, officials said Wednesday at the sprawling greenfield site. When in full production in 2020, the plant will employ 400 workers.
“It will produce 4 million tires annually,” said Hans Dyhrman, Nokian’s marketing director.
Should the Finland-based manufacturer make the investment, each of the future phases could add another 4 million tires a year in production, he said. That could include not just tires for cars and SUVs, but for heavy equipment as well, Dyhrman said.
“As Nokian grows, we’ll add other buildings,” he said.
Dennis McCann, Nokian’s construction project manager, said the tract is large enough to hold phases four and five, should the company move ahead.
About 250 consturction workers are now on site and that number will swell in coming months.
Nokian has said the 830,000-square-foot plant will position the company as a key player in the all-season tire business. The company, known for its winter tires, wants to double annual North American sales in five years.
Shayne Ingersoll, Nokian’s head of human resources in North America, said the company currently is recruiting for key leadership posts at the plant. Large-scale hiring of workers is set for the second part of 2019, she said.
Already, Ingersoll said, the company’s Linkedin website has received 3,000 views. Factory workers will earn between $30,000 and $40,000 a year, she said.
“We want to be the employer of choice,” said the human resources head, adding that Nokian is competing for workers in a strong job market. “We make a compelling argument.”
Plans are to use local educational institutions to support Nokian’s training efforts, she said.
“We’ll offer robust training programs,” Ingersoll said.
Nokian also is moving its U.S. headquarters to Nashville from Vermont.
“We’re really solidifying out commitment to the state,” Dyhrman said.
BY THE NUMBERS
* 250 – Construction workers on the Nokian Tyres plant site* 70,000 – Work hours put in so far during construction* 4 million – Number of tires plant will make in full production annuallySource: Nokian Tyres
He said much of the progress so far at the factory site is below ground surface as plant equipment needs a solid foundation. Some digs at the factory site go 20 feet below surface.
The so-called mix building, where natural rubber is added with carbon black and other raw materials to make tires, has a tower some 120 feet high, officials said.
Also to go up is a warehouse that will store up to 600,000 tires. Dyhrman said the warehouse will have robots to pick tires.
In addition, the Tennessee Department of Transportation is to build a bridge over railroad tracks from U.S. 27 to the plant, he said.
A planned administration building will have solar panels to help offset the plant’s carbon footprint, Dyhrman said.
Contact Mike Pare at mpare@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6318. Follow him on Twitter @MikePareTFP.