Chrysler Group's Toledo Supplier Park Opens the Doors to Production of All-New 2007 Jeep(R) Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited
28 Août 2006 - 7:30PM
PR Newswire (US)
* Chrysler Group opens innovative, state-of-the-art Supplier Park *
$3.9 billion total investment to Toledo facilities over the last
five years * All-new 2007 Jeep Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited to
offer even more off-road capability, power, interior room, on-road
refinement and open air fun * Chrysler Group continues community
investment with new manufacturing plant TOLEDO, Ohio, August 28
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Two years after announcing that the
Chrysler Group would create the first supplier park in North
America to produce the Jeep Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited,
customer- ready vehicles are rolling-off the production line at
Chrysler's new Toledo Supplier Park (TSP). As part of Chrysler
Group's innovative manufacturing project in Toledo, three supplier
partners will manage and operate major parts of the vehicle
production process from neighboring facilities within the Toledo
plant footprint. While the KUKA Group is responsible for building
bodies for the all-new 2007 Jeep Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited,
Magna Steyr will run the paint shop and Hyundai Mobis-owned Ohio
Module Manufacturing Company (OMMC) will assemble the vehicle's
chassis. Chrysler Group has the responsibility for the final trim
and assembly operations of the plant. All four facilities were
completed earlier this year and have been producing pilot parts
since April. "Two years ago, the Toledo Supplier Park existed only
as a vision," said Tom LaSorda, Chrysler Group President and Chief
Executive Officer. "A vision so bold, so unique, that we knew it
would only succeed with a team that is dedicated, disciplined and,
of course, flexible. We thank the United Auto Workers and the
Toledo workforce for making this vision a reality." "The Chrysler
Group has been a great corporate partner with Ohio and I am
delighted that this innovative new supplier park is ensuring that
Toledo remains the home of the Jeep," Governor Bob Taft said.
"Today's opening confirms our role as a leading automotive state,
and will enable us to build on our number two position in the U.S.
in the production of motor vehicles and in the number of tier-one
suppliers." Chrysler Group executives, local employees from the
United Auto Workers, dignitaries and guests celebrated the opening
of TSP and production of the all-new 2007 Jeep Wrangler and
Wrangler Unlimited. "The Supplier Park has not only brought a
significant, new investment to the Toledo area," said Lloyd
Mahaffey, UAW Regional Director. "But, also proves that working
together, the UAW, government and Chrysler Group can create good
paying jobs in America." The painted vehicle body and the chassis
module are sent on conveyor lines directly into Chrysler Group's
final assembly building, where all vehicle components are married
together to create the finished vehicle. From start to finish,
Chrysler Group is working rigorously with all supplier partners to
maintain the highest levels of quality in each area of the assembly
process, including a series of final validation tests for each
vehicle as it comes off the line. New methods of material flow are
being implemented to manage the complexity of the two models being
built on one assembly line. An inbound sequencing center is housed
in the adjoining Stickney complex and manages more than 1,800
different parts that are used in the Dodge Nitro, Jeep Liberty and
Toledo Supplier Park's Jeep Wrangler two-door and Jeep Wrangler
Unlimited four-door build process. In addition to sequencing, this
center provides parts metering, kitting and container management to
both Toledo North and Toledo Supplier Park Assembly Plants. "The
Toledo supplier co-location project is clearly a compelling
business opportunity for our suppliers and for the company," said
Peter Rosenfeld, Chrysler Group Executive Vice President -
Procurement and Supply. "Automakers and suppliers are under
pressure to compete on a global level. By joining together to
create this innovative co-located manufacturing project, we all
will benefit from the opportunity to collaborate closely and
strengthen our partnership." This co-location project between the
three supplier partners and Chrysler Group in Toledo is part of a
$2.1 billion total program investment. The Chrysler Group has
invested approximately $3.9 billion into the Toledo area over the
past five years. The investments include an original $1.2 billion
to build the Toledo North (opening in 2001) combined with an
expansion of Toledo North that gave the plant the flexibility to
add the new Dodge Nitro to the Jeep Liberty assembly line. "The
supplier park represents one example of Chrysler Group's overall
flexible manufacturing strategy," said Frank Ewasyshyn, Chrysler
Group Executive Vice President - Manufacturing. "Our flexible
manufacturing strategy involves a number of actions that enable
multiple products to be built on the same assembly line and
alternative practices to traditional vehicle assembly." "This level
of cooperation with select suppliers allows the Chrysler Group to
direct more resources to developing new vehicles and bringing them
to market with the highest levels of quality," said LaSorda. Total
capital investment for the Toledo Supplier Park project is
projected to be $900 million. Throughout Jeep Wrangler's
65-year-history, Jeep engineers have ensured that each new
generation Wrangler delivers -- and improves upon -- its world-
class off-road capability, open-air fun and freedom, and interior
comfort and convenience. For the all-new 2007 Jeep Wrangler and
Wrangler Unlimited -- the sixth generation of Wrangler models --
Jeep engineers focused on more than 50 functional objectives --
from ground clearance to articulation to ride and handling. The
result is the ultimate "out-of-the-box" off-road vehicle combined
with everyday practicality and all the necessary features to "go
anywhere and do anything." Over the years, freedom, authenticity,
mastery and the capability to go anywhere and do anything have
become the hallmarks of the Jeep brand and the basis for its SUV
leadership worldwide. Jeep four-wheel-drive vehicles are built and
sold at the rate of more than 600,000 vehicles each year. Chrysler
Group manufactures Jeep vehicles in the U.S., Austria, China,
Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Venezuela, Argentina and Egypt. The
Toledo area has benefited from two new assembly plants as well as
new vehicles. Besides the Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
production at the Toledo Supplier plant, production of Jeep Liberty
at the Toledo North Assembly plant began when the plant opened in
2001. Production of the new 2007 Dodge Nitro began last month. The
new Toledo Supplier Park replaces Chrysler Group's Parkway and
Stickney assembly operations which have built Jeep brand vehicles
since the 1940s. "The new Wrangler manufacturing model, combining
three major suppliers and DaimlerChrysler represents a new way of
doing business for DaimlerChrysler and the UAW, said UAW Local 12
President Bruce Baumhower. "This is a major accomplishment for our
union's members as well as a major step in assuring good paying
manufacturing jobs in the Toledo area for years to come." The TSP
location is 2.0 million square feet with 1,400 employees while the
Toledo North Assembly Plant is 2.10 million square feet and has
more than 2,700 employees. Employees at both plants are represented
by United Auto Workers Local 12. In total, Chrysler Group has made
a significant impact on the City of Toledo and the State of Ohio,
with 7,941 employees statewide generating $465 million in annual
wages and providing more than $26 million taxable income to the
state. Chrysler Group as a good neighbor good citizen, sponsors
various community events through its philanthropic arm, the
DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund, including the Art Tatum Jazz
Heritage Festival, Toledo Urban League, City's Youth Entrepreneur
Program, Toledo Opera, the Toledo Museum of Art, Valentine Theatre
and the Diamante Awards. DATASOURCE: Chrysler Group CONTACT:
Michele Tinson, +1-248-512-0366, , or Markus Mainka,
+1-248-512-2729, , both of Chrysler Group Web site:
http://www.media.daimlerchrysler.com/
http://www.daimlerchrysler.com/
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