CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — The Kenworth assembly plant in Chillicothe, Ohio, is celebrating 50 years of business in the transportation industry after the opening of the plant on March 4, 1974.
The plant also manufactured the first truck, a Kenworth W900, that rolled off the assembly line the day after the grand opening.
Since that March, the 2,500 employees of the Chillicothe Kenworth plant have built more than 780,000 trucks, according to a news release.
“Chillicothe is a great place for Kenworth to build trucks because it is close to our customers, suppliers and, of course, a community of highly skilled employees we are fortunate to call our Kenworth family,” said Jim Walenczak, Kenworth general manager and PACCAR vice president. “Today we celebrate 50 years of innovation in Chillicothe, community involvement in Ross County and The World’s Best employees. This milestone is a testament to the dedication of our incredible workforce — both past and present — and Kenworth’s commitment to continued growth in Chillicothe.”
According to Doug VanZuiden, Kenworth Chillicothe plant manager, nearly 40% of the plant’s employees have worked there for more than 15 years.
“Our highly experienced, dedicated and long-term workforce is the secret to building a customer-oriented product and custom-engineered vehicle, and this team excels at building quality, pride and passion into The World’s Best trucks every day,” he said.
Jeff Hougland, one of Kenworth Chillicothe’s longest-tenured employees, having joined the plant as a parts welder in 1975, said Kenworth’s decision to open a plant in Chillicothe positively impacted the community.
“When I first started working with Kenworth, the economy was in a recession, and the unemployment rate was high,” he said. “The opening of the Kenworth Chillicothe plant in ’74 served as a lifeline for many in our community seeking employment opportunities. Over the years as the plant has increased its operational footprint to meet demand through expansion projects, like our new paint facility, additional well-paying job opportunities have followed. I’ve worked with a lot of great people throughout my career here and am proud to help build the best trucks out there.”
Kenworth Community Support of Ross County
Kenworth officials say that supporting the Ross County community is essential.
For 30 years, the Chillicothe plant has partnered with the United Way of Ross County to raise money for the organization’s philanthropic programs. In 2023, the plant raised approximately $240,000 through its annual United Way campaign and Kenworth truck parade 50/50 raffle. Since the beginning of the partnership, Kenworth Chillicothe employees have raised more than $2 million, and PACCAR has contributed nearly $5 million to the United Way of Ross County.
“Kenworth is truly a generational company. Many plant employees are second, even third generation in their families to work here and they take a lot of pride in representing Kenworth,” said Jack Schmitt, Kenworth Chillicothe assistant plant manager. “Our deep roots in Ross County are one of the many reasons we care deeply about working to invest in and strengthen the community where we all live and work – now and in the future.”
Born and raised in Little Rock, AR, Erica N. Guy decided to stay in her hometown to begin her professional career in journalism. Since obtaining her bachelor’s degree from UAPB, Erica has professionally written for several publications about several topics ranging from lifestyle, tech, culture, and entertainment, just to name a few. Continuing her love for her hometown, she joined our team in June 2023, where she is currently a staff writer. Her career goals include continuing storytelling through her writing by being the best professional writer she can be. In her spare time, Erica enjoys trying new foods, cozying up with a good book, spending time with family and friends, and establishing herself as a future businesswoman.
