Subaru expects higher production volumes at its Lafayette plant to last well into the future and it is converting 100 temporary positions to permanent status, the company announced.

"We're confident the sales and momentum will continue," spokeswoman Jennifer McGarvey said Monday morning.

Subaru has about 3,300 people working in Lafayette, its only U.S. manufacturing location. A portion of those workers, more than 380 people, are temporary or "variable," and employed by CTI Personnel Inc. McGarvey said Subaru could not disclose the pay structure at CTI, but those who are hired into permanent status at Subaru over the next six months will be eligible for starting pay of $15.65 per hour, including attendance bonuses.

Subaru began ramping up production last summer after introducing its 2010 Legacy and Outback models, which turned out to be hot sellers. The company brought on more temps, sped up its production line, and implemented daily overtime and Saturday shifts. McGarvey said the conversion of temps to permanent employees will happen over the next six months.

Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc., the Lafayette-based subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., said it expects to produce more than 250,000 vehicles in 2010, a 30- percent increase over last year.