William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Oct 21, 2011 8:36AM EDT
Daimler Trucks North America will create 350 jobs and a second shift at its Portland, Ore., truck plant as it ramps up production of heavy-duty Class 8 tractors.
The expansion of the DTNA’s manufacturing workforce reflects strong demand for Western Star brand on-highway and off-road Class 8 trucks, the company said. Net orders for Class 8 trucks in September were up 12 percent from August and 56 percent from a year ago, reaching “the high end of expectations,” according to FTR Associates.
This is the first time since 2006 the company has gone to the open market to hire workers for its Swan Island truck plant. The new jobs and second shift — scheduled to be running at full capacity by February — represent an almost 50 percent increase in the plant’s workforce.
The Swan Island facility exclusively produces Western Star brand tractors for use in mining, logging, oil field and construction, as well as on-highway trucks.
Contact William B. Cassidy at wcassidy@joc.com. Follow him on Twitter at @wbcassidy_joc
