Rivian is making a change at one of its top manufacturing positions, as it continues production ramp-up in Normal and prepares to begin construction of a second plant in Georgia.
Tim Fallon joined Rivian as vice president of manufacturing on Monday, based at the plant in Normal, the company said in a statement. Fallon previously worked at Nissan, where he was vice president for manufacturing at the company’s assembly plant in Canton, Mississippi.
Fallon will succeed Erik Fields, who will be “transitioning out of the role” as Rivian’s manufacturing VP. Fields was also a Nissan veteran before joining Rivian. He served as Rivian’s manufacturing VP for about 16 months.
“Rivian appreciates the warmth and leadership he brought to the factory floor and wishes him well in his next venture,” the company said of Fields.
Rivian is making its electric trucks, vans, and SUVs in Normal, where it has over 4,400 workers and is already McLean County’s third-largest employer.
Vehicle production began in September, though the ramp-up has proceeded more slowly than expected. Rivian said in mid-December that it had produced 652 R1 vehicles (mostly trucks) since production began. That meant Rivian would be “a few hundred vehicles short” of its target of 1,200 by the end of 2021.
Rivian, like many other automakers, has faced disruptions caused by global supply chain issues. There have also been other distractions, such as a vehicle catching fire inside the plant Feb. 4.
Rivian paused production in Normal in early January for fixes and process improvements, Bloomberg reported, but then was able to increase output toward almost 200 vehicles per week.
Rivian is expected to share more details about its production progress during its March quarterly earnings report.
