Kenworth Chillicothe Plant Initiates $140 Million Expansion

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Transport Topics  /  April 24, 2019

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — Kenworth Truck Co. on April 24 broke ground to officially start construction on a $140 million, 120,000-square-foot paint facility addition to its Class 8 truck assembly plant.

Kenworth will construct the facility, expected to open in 2021, adjacent to the current plant. The expansion represents a nearly 25% increase to the current 502,000-square-foot plant, which is located on 120 acres 50 miles south of Columbus. The facility will utilize the latest technologies to increase paint capacity by 50% while enhancing the plant’s product quality and environmental stewardship programs.

Advanced technologies integrated into the facility include robotic paint application systems and the latest in emissions-control systems.

“Our investment in this outstanding new facility highlights Kenworth’s focus on leveraging technology to continually enhance the quality of the products we provide our customers, said Mike Dozier, Kenworth general manager and Paccar Inc. vice president, “while also reinforcing Kenworth’s commitment to the production of industry-leading Class 8 trucks by the more than 2,000 outstanding employees at our Chillicothe plant.”

Complementing the investment in the new Chillicothe paint facility, and scheduled for completion this summer, is the installation of a $33 million robotic cab assembly cell. The cell will occupy 40,000 square feet on the existing production floor and support the continued market share growth of Kenworth’s T680, T880 and W990 models.

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