Mitas plant president turning over reins

American employee to take over plant

Staff report

After nearly four and a half years in Charles City, Pavel Charvat, president of the Mitas Tires North America plant, is returning abroad.

“I’m going home to the Czech Republic,” Charvat told the Press on Monday, during his last week at the Iowa plant.

Charvat arrived in Iowa to oversee Mitas’ first North American production plant, working with 15 original local employees and several contractors to begin producing about 30 tire styles that in April 2012. Since then, the staff has grown to include between 150 to 200 at any given time, Charvat told the Charles City Area Development Corporation in December, manufacturing products for known North American businesses such as John Deere and New Holland. Mitas accounts for approximately two-thirds of sales for its parent company ČGS Holding, with mid-market specialty tires brands, including agricultural tires.

Charvat watched the sale of ČGS to Swedish polymer solutions company Trelleborg in December 2015 from his position in Charles City, meeting with the CCADC to assure members of no immediate effects at the county level.

“We do not expect any changes in the main structure for the next 12 months,” Charvat said at that time. “My feeling is that there is a very good chance, a very good space for Charles City to take part in the future structure, just based on what we’ve already achieved.”

From the beginning, it was Mitas’ intent to fill the North American plant with American employees, including Charvat’s replacement Brian Wulff.

“He will be the plant director as first of March, so American employees will play an even more important role,” Charvat said.

According to Charvat, Wulff was one of the original employees at the Charles City plant.

“(Wulff) was the production manager for a time, then he trained in the last few weeks,” Charvat said. “I believe everything will be in the right hands.”

Charvat looks forward to passing over the reigns and accepting his next challenge from Mitas.

“It seems I’ll be leaving the agriculture tire business and be in involved in the construction and industrial tire segment,” he said.

He is also excited to return to his family in Prague.

“My wife is not here anymore, she stayed (home) after Christmas…my family, my new granddaughter and friends,” Charvat said.

Charvat will be leaving many friends behind in Charles City.

“I will be missing my friends in Charles City,” he said. “(Working here is) probably my professional highlight from my career.”