FROM STAFF REPORTS
Springdale, Ark.-based Montana Tractors will not begin moving employees from its headquarters to Tarboro until this summer.
The company acquired Farmtrac North America at auction in November.
Tony Pearce, the director of operations of Montana Tractors's Tarboro offices, said the move would "probably not be finalized until the end of July" for the move of its employees.
Pearce, a former Farmtrac employee, said that it does not yet have a firm number for how many of its employees will make the move from Arkansas to the facility at 111 Fairview St. He said Montana Tractors is going through an application process with its current employees to see if they wish to move to Tarboro.
Pearce estimated that around 60 people could work at the Tarboro plant. But he emphasized that the company is "not looking to hire 60 (workers) right now."
The company will add "positions as the need arises.
"We're going to let the demand for the (farm equipment) product guide us" on how many people to hire at the Tarboro plant, Pearce added.
A letter to suppliers says the Tarboro plant is closer to ports and is better positioned to provide support to dealers. The letter says Montana Tractors will move all its production, parts, service and logistics operations to Tarboro.
Montana Tractors spokesman Alan Altom said administrative, marketing and sales staff will stay in Springdale.
