Freightliner Reaches Production Milestone

BY MATTHEW WINTER
SALISBURY POST

Electronics for 32 computer systems, a tinted skylight and telescoping steering wheel are just three of 300,000 possible options on Freightliner trucks.

And no matter how many extras a customer orders, the trucks still roll off various production lines by the hundreds each day.

The fact that Freightliner, headquartered in Portland, Ore., can custom build so many trucks so quickly is "a feat of American industry, and speaks to the ingenuity and resolve of Freightliner employees," according to Freightliner president and CEO James Hebe.

Indeed, the corporation recently reached another manufacturing milestone: on Nov. 19, the corporation's 100,000th truck rolled off the line at its Cleveland facility, the largest assembly plant in Freightliner's global operations.

The event marks the first time in company history workers in plants on virtually every continent combined to make more than 100,000 trucks in less than a year.

Freightliner delivered the 100,000th truck, a Class 8 Century Class tractor, from Cleveland to longtime Freightliner customer M.S. Carriers of Memphis, Tenn.

"This is a historic achievement for Freightliner Corporation, its employees and its customers," Hebe said. "Not only have we shattered previous production records, but we have done so while building each truck to exact customer specifications."

Freightliner's previous production record for trucks reached 84,806 last year. The company expects to produce 116,000 Freightliner-nameplate trucks in 1998, including 97,000 Class 5 through 8 trucks built in the United States and Mexico and 19,000 truck chassis built by Freightliner's Custom Chassis Corp.

Paul Speer, Cleveland plant manager, said the Rowan County facility has been able to increase its productivity by hiring 20 to 25 employees a week throughout the year, thereby increasing the plant output from 126 trucks per day to 156.

The trucks produced in Cleveland are over-the-road tractors familiar to interstate motorists.

The Cleveland plant underwent major capital expansions between 1994 and 1996, Speer said, and has since invested in continuous, smaller-scale expansions. However, the plant manager credited this year's production milestone not only to the number of employees, but their cooperation, interest and effort.

Freightliner officials say the number of trucks produced this year shows the strength of the company and its relationship with M.S. Carriers, which has been a customer since its founding in 1978.

Today, M.S. Carrier's 3,100-tractor fleet is 90 percent Freightliner. The company fully restored its first Freightliner truck, a 1977 FLT 8664T, and it now resides at the entrance of the company's Memphis operations.

Michael Starnes, M.S. Carriers president and CEO, said his operation will always maintain a Freightliner fleet. Starnes said the 100,000th truck is a "symbol of the long and successful partnership between Freightliner and M.S. Carriers."

Mark Lampert, Freightliner senior vice president, also praised the partnership between Freightliner and M.S. Carriers.

"A decade ago, Freightliner was a respected but mid-level player in the U.S. heavy-duty truck market,"

Lambert said. "Now we are the definitive leader in Class 8 sales and heavy-duty truck technology and support systems. We are proud to share the achievement of producing 100,000 trucks with another industry leader, M.S. Carriers."

Freightliner's 100,000th truck is a typical M.S. Carrier order: a C120 Century Class with a 70-inch raised roof sleeper cab, premium seats and adjustable steering wheel.

Starnes said Freightliner trucks, with their powerful Detroit Diesel and cushy options help his company attract and retain quality drivers.

Freightliner was founded in 1942 by Leland James and became a subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz AG in 1981. The corporation has held the largest share of heavy-duty truck market since 1992, and is the nation's leading exporter of heavy-duty trucks, including commercial tractors, military vehicles, American LaFrance custom fire trucks, school buses and motor homes.

The corporation employs about 3,100 in its Rowan County plant, and thousands more in plants in the United States, Mexico, Canada, South Africa, Australia, Israel, Saudi Arabia and most recently China.

Freightliner-nameplate trucks are built at five separate manufacturing plants: Portland, Ore.; Cleveland, Mt. Holly, N.C.; Gaffney, S.C. and Santiago Tianguistenco, Mexico.