Big Announcement Coming From Michelin Today: Media

South Carolina media is abuzz with talk that Michelin North America is planning a major announcement regarding either a new tire plant or massive expansion.

The Anderson Independent Mail stated that an announcement would be made today (Jan. 24), and that “Pete Selleck, the chairman and president of Michelin North America and Rich Kornacki, executive vice president and head of specialty product lines, will come to the Starr (S.C.) plant in Anderson County to make the announcement. They will be joined by Francis Crowder, the chairman of the Anderson County Council.”

Another newspaper in the region suggested MNA was considering “five different sites in Greenville County” to expand its manufacturing operations. The new facility, it said, “would likely produce a new line of tires Michelin is considering.”

“‘The county is committed to working with Michelin, and have already passed various incentive agreements,’ reported The Journal. ‘The company has been waiting till the first of the year to see what effects certain national legislation may have at this level,’ said Greenville County Councilman Dan Rawls. ‘We are working closely with them on several possible projects and hope to bring some very lucrative manufacturing jobs to this area in the coming weeks and months.’”

Meanwhile, the Independent Mail had another take: “Crowder said council members had been instructed Wednesday not to disclose any information ahead of Michelin’s event. ‘When a high-powered company asks you not to talk about something, you have to honor that. What we can say is that it will be a good day for Anderson County.’

“Burriss Nelson, Anderson County’s economic development director, said that he is operating under a non-disclosure agreement with Michelin and that there are aspects of Thurday’s announcement that even he has not been told about.”

Last week, MNA committed to a $73 million expansion program for its truck tire plant in Waterville, Nova Scotia.