COLUMBUS, Miss. — Bellevue, Washington-based PACCAR is honoring its Columbus, Mississippi, engine factory for 10 years of manufacturing excellence and a strong commitment to the community, the company announced Dec. 1.
“PACCAR is very proud of the Columbus, Mississippi, engine factory’s achievements in the first 10 years,” said Preston Feight, CEO of PACCAR. “Our excellent employees and the plant’s advanced manufacturing capabilities have created a great environment for building the industry’s best engines.”
Planning for the engine plant started in 2006 when an international PACCAR team of experienced managers and engineers from Kenworth, Peterbilt and DAF were tasked with laying the groundwork for a state-of-the-art factory. PACCAR chose Columbus, Mississippi, because of its proximity to important transportation logistics networks, talented people and the ability to partner with nearby educational institutions that complement the workforce.
A groundbreaking ceremony in 2007 marked the start of construction for the $400 million facility. The innovative factory design and industry-leading operations have resulted in many honors for manufacturing excellence and environmental impact over the last decade, such as zero-waste-to-landfill, and ISO 14000 environmental management and ISO 9001-TS quality management certifications. Additional investments in factory enhancements and production capacity have positioned the plant to meet engine demand over the next decade. The Columbus, Mississippi, factory has produced more than 250,000 PACCAR MX-11 and MX-13 engines to date.
“The level of commitment PACCAR engine factory employees have toward their work and their community is something that really resonates within the Peterbilt family and our customers,” said Jason Skoog, general manager of Peterbilt and vice president of PACCAR. We would like to congratulate everyone at the Columbus, Mississippi engine factory for a decade of delivering high quality PACCAR MX engines that benefit our customers in many ways.”
PACCAR established close ties with colleges in the area, including Mississippi State University, Mississippi University for Women and East Mississippi Community College, to help develop a strong local pool of highly skilled employees. These relationships continue to flourish and provide mutual benefit. Not only does the PACCAR engine factory hire or offer internships to associates from surrounding colleges, but employees can also earn valuable training certifications and degrees to enhance their knowledge and skillsets.
“Congratulations to the PACCAR engine factory and its tremendous, dedicated employees who have supported Kenworth fleets and truck operators with PACCAR MX engines for the past decade,” said Kevin Baney, general manager of Kenworth and vice president of PACCAR. “The factory has played a major role in Kenworth’s growth by providing fuel-efficient engines for our customers throughout the U.S. and Canada.”
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