Michelin is in the midst of a $200-million expansion of its tire manufacturing plant in Ardmore.

Michelin Pumps Up
Ardmore Expansion

Oklahoma, the nation's leading tire manufacturer with about 15 percent of production, will soon add to its lead. Ardmore, a small town in south-central Oklahoma about halfway between Oklahoma City and Dallas, is the scene of a $200-million expansion by Michelin North America. Michelin recently decided to up its initial $56-million project by $144 million.

See the SITES Oklahoma Dept. of Commerce www.locateok.com Ardmore Development Authority www.ardmore.org Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce www.okchamber.com Edmond Econ. Dev. Authority www.eeda.com Quad/Graphics www.qg.com Dollar Tree Stores www.dollartree.com Michelin North America www.michelin-us.com

        "We knew we were competing for investment dollars against locations all over the world," says Gary Scheide, Ardmore plant manager.
        The Ardmore Development Authority is building the 75,000-sq.-ft. (6,967-sq.-m.) expansion that will be leased to Michelin upon completion. The plant, which produces radial car and light truck tires, currently covers 1.5 million-sq.-ft. (139,350-sq.-m.) and employs 1,841.
        The Ardmore facility was originally a Uniroyal Goodrich plant, which was on the brink of closing in 1990 when Michelin bought it.
        Just south of Ardmore and almost at the Texas border lies Marietta, where Dollar Tree Stores, the nation's largest discount variety store chain, just opened a new 603,000-sq.-ft. (56,000 sq. m.) distribution center. The $40-million, fully automated facility will service Dollar Tree stores in the central and south-central U.S. and will eventually employ 125.
        "The Marietta site is the best fit for our logistics model and offers excellent access to the Interstate system," says Steve White, senior vice president, logistics.