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  Freightliner Plant First Stop On Governor Beasley's List

13 August 1998

  Freightliner Plant First Stop On Governor Beasley's List

        S.C. Governor Sees Growth, Investment in Gaffney Facility

    GAFFNEY, S.C., Aug. 13 -- S.C. Governor David Beasley toured
the Freightliner Custom Chassis Plant in Gaffney, S.C., today and visited with
employees at the plant who manufacture chassis for school and shuttle bus,
delivery walk-in van and RV applications.  The plant has hired more than 150
employees since January of this year making it one of the fastest growing
companies in Cherokee County.  Since beginning operations in Gaffney in June
1995, Freightliner has increased employment from 213 to the current 545.
    "Freightliner's rapid growth has created quality jobs and other economic
benefits for residents in Cherokee County and beyond," Governor Beasley said.
"We're excited to have an industry leader like Freightliner growing and
investing in South Carolina."
    Gov. Beasley toured the plant with Marv Hoff, president of Freightliner
Custom Chassis.  The plant will produce more than 16,000 chassis this year,
about four times the volume produced in 1995.  The manufacturing facility
recently started second shift production, increasing the number of chassis
produced daily to more than 70.
    "We are seeing increasing demand for all our products especially the
Freightliner school bus," Hoff said.  "Our school bus production rates have
nearly tripled since the start of the year."
    In less than two years, Freightliner has captured more than 20 percent of
the conventional school bus chassis market, and has sold nearly 6,000 units
this year to school districts across the United States and in Canada.  The
state of North Carolina awarded the 1998 school bus contract for up to 750
chassis exclusively to Freightliner, and numerous other districts in Colorado,
Idaho, Michigan, Tennessee, New York, Pennsylvania and more will be
transporting students in Freightliner buses this fall.
    Freightliner Corporation, headquartered in Portland, Oregon, is the
leading heavy truck manufacturer in North America.  Freightliner produces and
markets Class 3-8 trucks and is a member of the Daimler-Benz AG group, the
world's leading commercial vehicle manufacturer (http://www.freightliner.com).
Freightliner entered in 1995 the Class 3-7 bus and chassis market serving the
delivery walk-in van, school bus, shuttle bus, motor home and commercial air
freight segments.