���ϳԹ���

May 19, 2005 9:00 AM, EDT

Click here to write a Letter to the Editor.

pecialty truck maker Oshkosh Truck Corp. said Thursday that its Pierce Manufacturing Inc. subsidiary will invest $18.5 million to expand manufacturing to build vehicles for the firefighting and homeland security sectors.

Construction of a new, 130,000 square-foot manufacturing plant is scheduled to begin this summer and completed early next year, the company said in a statement.

he expansion was spurred by strong growth in Pierce’s fire, rescue and homeland security apparatus sales over the past two years, Oshkosh said.

“Oshkosh’s fire and emergency business has consistently delivered strong results, contributing significantly to the corporation's long-term growth,” said Robert Bohn, Oshkosh’s chairman and chief executive officer.