Michelin managing partner 'extremely optimistic' about new jobs at Dundee site
The global head of Michelin has reaffirmed the company's commitment to Dundee and says he is "confident" 140 new jobs will be created at the Baldovie Road plant.
Mr Senard meets workers in Dundee.
- By Craig McManamon
- Published in the Courier : 13.07.11
- Published online : 13.07.11 @ 08.38am
Managing partner Jean-Dominique Senard visited the city for the first time on Tuesday to present the management team with a safety award and tour the factory. Afterwards, in an interview with The Courier, Mr Senard said it has a bright future.
"We are working hard," he said. "It is clear we need to make some choices and think about the future but what I can say is that I am extremely optimistic about what can happen in this plant."
With 750 staff, Michelin is already one of the city's largest single employers — but in February bosses announced that 140 jobs could be created through a multi-million-pound investment project that is now gathering pace.
The study, launched by the Michelin Group, is considering installing machinery to enable Dundee to manufacture the latest generation of premium, environmentally-friendly tyres. If put in place the project would safeguard the plant's existing workforce and cement Michelin as a leading Scottish employer.
With a substantial jobs boost on the horizon, Mr Senard said that the area has more than enough talent to fill any vacancies.
"From what I understand from the team is that there are many resumes coming here and Michelin is fortunate enough to be in a position where it can select the best candidates. The more the plant performs, the safer it becomes. It is a big number of hiring but it should be alright."
The Dundee site is competing against other European plants to secure the investment. To strengthen its case bosses are working with the Scottish Government to explore a regional selective assistance grant, which would be key in the firm's decision-making process.
Extremely impressed
Mr Senard said, "I am extremely impressed and happy with the way the government has followed Dundee Michelin in the past. I understand that there have been a number of visits from the authorities to this plant.
"The relationship is extremely good, extremely positive and helpful. The government has helped us prove that there is a future for this industry."
Michelin says the government is showing signs that it will invest in the site as part of the decision-making process but added that it does not have a date for when a decision will be reached. In the meantime the plant continues as the only car tyre manufacturer in Michelin's UK operation, producing over seven million tyres each year for worldwide export.
Mr Senard recognised that crucial role, saying, "I came here to have a precise view of the state of the plans and the level of progress achieved in the past months.
"This is of course all part of the global thinking we have but the future of the different plants that are in the Michelin network so it is extremely important for me to get the precise view on the level reached now by Dundee and I have to say I am extremely pleased with what I have seen here."
Mr Senard ended by saying that his presence at the plant was also a "strong signal" that the site had a healthy future.
06.27pm - 13.07.2011 hopeful - Dundee, Angus Report This
Good news for Dundee but I hope they are going to make some of the jobs apprenticeships to give young people a chance to learn skills that can be passed on.
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