Michelin North America Overview

Our commitment to the future

Michelin announced investments in North America totaling $346 million in 2005. These investments were made across product lines and in both the U.S. and Canada. Michelin capped 2006 with an announcement to build a new tread processing plant in Queretaro, Mexico, adjacent to Michelin Mexico headquarters and its passenger tire plant.

Innovation

Research, Development and Testing

Producing the highest quality tires that deliver miles and miles of driving pleasure isn’t luck. It starts at the Michelin Americas Research and Development Corporation, where innovation and technology converge with the real-world needs of demanding consumers in a highly fragmented industry. Employing 888 people, mostly engineers, Michelin’s R&D center in North America has developed some of the finest products in the world, including the first 80,000-mile passenger tire for American-made vehicles. Rather than focusing on one strong attribute, Michelin tires deliver just the right combination of benefits. For example, great handling combines with exceptional wet traction and high mileage together with comfort. That’s because Michelin engineers are not content with any sort of compromise or trade-offs.

Laurens Proving Ground

A vital extension of Michelin’s research and development community is the Michelin test facility in Laurens, S.C. This 3,500-acre site maintains 12 special tracks of varying lengths and surfaces for testing tires and suspension systems and for driver training. Engineers test tires for noise, adherence to wet surfaces, gravel endurance, off-roadinclines, traction in mud, and vehicle dynamics, such as high-speed lane change and drift. Used primarily by Michelin, the facility also offers other groups test opportunities, such as vibration analysis and chassis loading tests in a confidential environment. The facility is also used to train law enforcement officers from North and South Carolina to enhance their skills in handling emergency situations.

Training, Sales, and Marketing

A large degree of Michelin’s success in North America can be attributed to its sales and marketing groups. Michelin has long been recognized by the industry for having the best and most complete training for its sales force. The current training center in Greenville, S.C., not only conducts sales training but also hosts Michelin dealer sales personnel from all over the country to help them become more professional salespeople and better business managers. Michelin marketing teams strive each day and in every category of tires to bring increased value to consumers.

Just as tires are a complex blend of elements, so too are people. We don't believe in established and pre-determined job paths. At Michelin you'll have the opportunity to let your talents and interests guide your career.

As you go through your career at Michelin, you'll be given the opportunity to branch out into areas of the company which interest you. It's not uncommon to find a Michelin manufacturing engineer exploring a new career in product development or a production supervisor moving into sales. Your opportunities aren't limited by your formal education. They're only limited by your imagination.

• Career path categories include the following:
• Manufacturing
• Research & Development
• Information Systems
• Corporate Services
• Sales & Marketing

Michelin believes in people, so much so that it has developed a comprehensive career development system that puts no limits on career growth.

Just as tires are a complex blend of elements, so too are people. We don't believe in established and pre-determined job paths. At Michelin you'll have the opportunity to let your talents and interests guide your career.

It's not uncommon to find a Michelin manufacturing engineer exploring a new career in product development, or a production supervisor moving into sales, or an information systems professional seeking a new direction in the marketing world.

Opportunities are not limited by formal education. There are plenty of opportunities to receive professional enrichment, education and training at Michelin.

·         Open positions through middle management are advertised internally for visibility to employees.

·         As employees evolve into middle and upper management, they are assigned a dedicated career manager.

·         Every Michelin manager helps his/her employees map out long-term career directions and interests.

·         Every Michelin employee is encouraged to establish clear career objectives.

·         Every Michelin employee receives ongoing feedback and evaluation.

·         Every Michelin employee and manager is expected to regularly engage in meaningful two-way discussions about career

          interests.

·         Every Michelin employee can take advantage of numerous technical and professional training programs.

·         Every Michelin employee can pursue opportunities outside his or her formal education.

Learning never stops at Michelin, no matter what your formal education and training, work experience, or aspirations. Michelin provides every employee the opportunity to master new skills and to continue learning. This is done by fostering an environment that values and promotes everyday learning from customers and colleagues, from specific work assignments, and from structured formal training for specific disciplines.

• Training categories include:
• Process Engineering Training
• Quality Engineer Training
• Sales Training
• Marketing Training
• Tire Design School
• Industrial Engineering School
• Technical Training 

Michelin believes that a comprehensive benefit plan is an important component of its overall employee Total Rewards Program. Below are the major components of Michelin North America's benefit's program. Employee options are selected yearly during open enrollment.

Healthcare

·         Dental

·         Prescription drugs

·         Major medical and preventive care

·         Mental and behavioral health

·         Flexible spending accounts (PRA)

·         Wellness programs

·         Supplemental vision hardware plan

Life Insurance

·         Group term life

·         Accidental death and dismemberment

·         Business travel accident insurance

·         Dependent group term life

·         Voluntary permanent life

·         Short-term and long-term disability

·         Supplemental disability plan

·         Supplemental term life insurance

Retirement & savings plans

·         Defined contribution pension

·         401(k) savings plan

·         529 college savings plan

Other

·         10 annual paid holidays

·         Employee assistance program

·         Michelin Employee Life Services Program

·         MTC Federal Credit Union

·         Tire service award program

·         Tire rebate program

·         Adoption assistance

·         Voluntary prepaid legal plan

·         Employee stock ownership program

·         Michelin Employee Activity Association (local discounts)

·         Paid leaves of absence

·         Reimbursement for the cost of continued education

·         Vacation