Freightliner's Mount Holly NC plant turns 25

July 1, 2004
Freightliner LLC recently celebrated the 25th anniversary of its Mount Holly NC truck manufacturing plant with festivities attended by employees and their

Freightliner LLC recently celebrated the 25th anniversary of its Mount Holly NC truck manufacturing plant with festivities attended by employees and their families as well as United States Rep Sue Myrick and Mayor Bryan Hough.

The plant has been producing the Freightliner Business Class M2 Line of medium-duty and vocational vehicles since 2002. Previously, it produced the original Business Class product, introduced in 1991.

“Through their manufacturing skill and dedication to customers, Mount Holly employees have helped the Freightliner nameplate achieve and maintain a leadership position in North America's trucking industry,” said Rainer Schmueckle, Freightliner president and chief executive officer.

The Mount Holly plant opened for business in May 1979 with 134 full-time employees. It produced its first truck — a 1980 Freightliner COE — that month for Goldston Inc of Eden NC. With 460,000 square feet of floor space, the Mount Holly plant was Freightliner's largest at the time. Today, the plant employs more than 1,100 people.

Expanded and modernized several times, the Mount Holly plant now has 616,000 square feet of space after a major renovation in 2001-02. The 14-month remodeling updated more than 80% of the floor space and prepared the plant for manufacturing the Business Class M2 product line.