Michelin credits community for N.S. success

BY SARA KEDDY

Kings County Register

With a few tires on display amidst circling hostesses, with trays of stuffed mushrooms and bacon-wrapped scallops, Michelin hosted Valley partners in trade and local government for a birthday party Sept. 24.

The tire manufacturer arrived in Nova Scotia in July 1969, opening its first plants in Bridgewater and Granton. Waterville opened in 1982.

C3 Waterville plant manager David Griffin said his team was honoured earlier this summer to be visited by Francois Michelin, a retired managing general partner. “He told us he made the critical decision to have Nova Scotia launch radial tire production in North America – he recognized Nova Scotians were intelligent and hard working, that they were working in shipyards and mines and knew how to work hard – and that if there was an opportunity for learning they’d be interested.”

With that move, Michelin has made “millions of tires, created thousands of jobs and spent millions of dollars” in Nova Scotia since 1969. “The common denominator between all of you here today is you’ve all contributed to Michelin’s progress in Nova Scotia,” Griffin said, from employees, suppliers, First Nations and Valley and provincial communities. “You’ve made this an outstanding place to do business.”

Kings County Warden Fred Whalen said he hopes that continues for many years, for the sake of the jobs and payroll created here, the corporate citizenship shown by the plant for community events and organizations and the reputation by association it gives the county. “When I travel, the first thing I say when people ask about home is, ‘We have a Michelin’ – honestly. That says it all, that that company would choose us.”