Daimler Trucks North America announced plans to increase production and employment at its Mt. Holly, N.C., truck manufacturing plant over the next three months. The plant will add a third shift and hire more than 600 more employees by mid-July.

The Mt. Holly plant manufactures Freightliner M2 Business Class medium-duty diesel and natural gas powered trucks as well as 108SD and 114SD severe-duty vocational trucks. Daimler is adding new employees to accommodate rising demand for the M2 and severe-duty trucks with 580 manufacturing and 25 supervision-related jobs.

"Our vehicle manufacturing network is highly scalable and together with our component suppliers, we are fully prepared to handle current and projected new truck order levels," said Roger Nielsen, chief operating officer, DTNA. "The untapped capacity at the Mt. Holly plant provides us the capacity and the leverage to meet customer delivery schedules in today’s fast-paced economy.”

The company says it will recruit locally in Gaston County and the surrounding areas for new employees.