Paccar started building engines at its 440,000-square-foot Lowndes County plant in December 2010. Since then, 2,200 engines have been assembled at the facility, and 600 have been delivered to customers.
The plant employs 160 people, and local plant manager Lex Lemmers expects the number to increase, as projects expand and the economy develops, he announced at Wednesday”s Industry Appreciation Luncheon at East Mississippi Community College”s Mayhew campus.
Paccar unveiled its MX engine for Peterbilt and Kenworth trucks at the Mid-America Trucking Show in early 2010, nearly three years after ground was broken on the plant in Lowndes County”s industrial park. The plant, a $400 million investment, is housed on 400 acres.
Paccar”s pre-employment training started at the Center for Manufacturing Excellence at EMCC. And the college offers 10 programs to prepare potential employees for work at Paccar, including maintenance technology and diesel technology.
About 20 percent of the workforce at the local Paccar facility trained at EMCC, and 12 employees hold associate”s degrees from EMCC.
Currently, the Paccar is producing 25 engines a day, and that number will increase with demand, Lemmers said.
“We see a significant increase in the economy, and our customers are buying trucks again,” Lemmers said.
MX engines are designed to last for 1 million miles without a major overhaul.
“Typically, 50 percent of engines would not survive 1 million miles without a major overhaul,” Lemmers said.
Each year, EMCC recognizes area business and industry with an appreciation luncheon. EMCC Vice President Dr. Paul Miller noted the school”s continued partnership with the community and industry.
“We”ve been a part of the fabric of this community for a long time, for a hundred years. We plan on being around for another hundred years,” Miller said. “We are very invested in the development of our community, the development of the workforce in our community.”
Industry awards
In closing the afternoon”s events, Dr. Raj Shaunak, EMCC”s vice president of Workforce and Community Services, presented the following awards:
Best Practices
· Weyerhaeuser of Columbus
· Ultralife Batteries of West Point
· Severstal of Columbus
Special Recognition
· Greater Starkville Development Partnership
Director”s Award
· Paccar of Columbus
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