CLEVELAND, NC —  Strong demand for Freightliners means parent Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) is firing up a full second shift at its plant in Cleveland N.C., a move that will create more than 1,100 new jobs by the end of 2012.

The additional workers represent a 72-percent increase in personnel and will include approximately 1,072 shop employees and 29 engineering and support positions. ??Most of the jobs will be filled with recalled workers who were laid off in 2009.The ramp-up will nearly double the daily production rates at the Cleveland plant by October 2012.

The largest Freightliner plant in the U.S., this facility produces Cascadia, Columbia and Argosy models.

Demand growth has created backorders as long as six months for the Cascadia.

Freightliner trucks are also sold internationally, with nearly 20 percent of Cleveland-built trucks going to Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. ??In conjunction with the ramp-up at the Cleveland plant, DTNA also will hire 100 employees at its nearby components and logistics plant in Gastonia, N.C. The 90 new hourly employees in the factory and 10 salaried and hourly office employees primarily will staff a second and third shift.??“We are incredibly pleased to be able to make this announcement today and to welcome back so many of our valued employees,” said Roger Nielsen, COO of Daimler Trucks North America.

“The growing demand for Freightliner products is testimony to our brand focus on providing efficient business solutions for our customers, and access to Daimler resources and technology. We’re delivering trucks with industry-leading fuel-efficiency technology and the lowest total cost of ownership.”

Interested applicants may apply at dtna.jobs.