Freightliner adds third shift at truck plant

Freightliner announced June 2 it is adding a third shift and 593 full-time employees at its Cleveland, N.C., truck manufacturing plant. The company said the additional shift is needed to meet increased production demand at the plant, where Freightliner-brand, heavy-duty trucks are produced. The plant has been increasing output throughout the year. “The North American heavy-duty truck market continues its vigorous recovery and we have a positive outlook for further improvement,” said Rainer Schmuekle, president and chief executive of Freightliner. The Cleveland plant is Freightliner’s largest manufacturing facility. The new shift pushes the employment level at the plant to its highest point in five years.