Michelin North America has hired 40 new employees across Nova Scotia so far this year and looks to hire up to 100 more.
Personnel director Andrew Mutch said that’s because Michelin Canada has weathered the worst of the recession and business is picking up. By controlling costs and inventories, the company has a firm foundation and is working to get operations back up to full speed, he said.
Last year, which marked Michelin’s 40th year in Nova Scotia, saw no layoffs, however, there was a hiring freeze in effect. A number of workers took on different jobs and moved within the company to where the work needed to be done to prevent layoffs and others volunteered to cut back their hours and take part in a job-sharing program offered through Service Canada.
MNA has hired 40 production workers, maintenance-technical workers and salaried employees, such as engineers, at its plants in Bridgewater, Waterville and Granton, N.S., since Jan. 1. The company will hire between 75 and 100 more employees immediately, according to Mutch
Michelin has roughly 3,500 employees at its three Nova Scotia plants. They have produced 224 million tires since the first two plants opened in 1971. The Bridgewater plant produces radial passenger and light truck tires and steel cord. The plant in Granton also produces radial passenger and light truck tires, as well as moulds, while the Waterville plant, which opened in 1982, produces radial truck, small industrial and earthmover tires.