Paccar – the parent company of Kenworth and Peterbilt – has announced that it will build a $400 million plant in Columbus, MS, to make diesel engines for its medium-sized trucks.

The engines will be the same as the ones the company produces for its DAF vehicles in Europe, and will be an option on its Caterpillar and Cummins engines in the U.S.

The plant will employ about 200 workers at first, but could grow to a workforce of 500, according to a press release.

A Paccar official told “Land Line Now” on XM Satellite Radio the company considered various locations for the plant, but decided locating in the U.S. and in Mississippi was “the right strategic choice.”

– By Reed Black, staff writer
reed_black@landlinemag.com