Motor Coach Industries to keep Pembina facility open

Matthew Voigt, Grand Forks Herald
·2 min read

Nov. 16—PEMBINA, N.D. — Motor Coach Industries announced its intent to keep the bus assembly facility in Pembina, North Dakota, open, reversing an earlier decision to close the plant, a company spokesperson has confirmed. The facility employs about 120 people in the Pembina region.

Motor Coach Industry's parent company, NFI Group, announced in May 2022 that the plant would close during or before June 2025.

In September of that year, North Dakota's congressional delegation sent NFI a letter expressing their concerns with the facility's closure and the impacts it would have throughout the region.

"Due to strong product demand for our vehicles, including electric coaches, we now see an opportunity for Pembina to continue finishing coaches for North America," NFI said in a statement. "We look forward to working with our team members and partners in the Pembina area and hope that today's announcement provides additional clarity and excitement for the future."

Burgum and Hoeven both said in statements that they were pleased with NFI's decision to stay in Pembina.

"This is a fantastic development for the MCI employees, the Pembina area and our state's economy as a whole, and we're pleased with NFI Group's decision following our engagement with their leadership through the Governor's Office and North Dakota Department of Commerce," Burgum said in a statement. "We've already been in contact with the company about opportunities for workforce training and other support to help them meet demand as they continue to invest in the plant and its employees, strengthening jobs and opportunities in the Pembina region."

"This is tremendous news for the community of Pembina and the surrounding region, which will not only have the existing jobs maintained but will see additional investment brought to the MCI facility," Hoeven said in a statement. "We are pleased that MCI has listened to our calls and decided to remain in North Dakota and we look forward to our continued efforts together to meet workforce and operational needs of this and other businesses."