There were big doings today in Boone County, Ill., specifically in the city of Belvidere, about 75 miles northwest of Chicago. For it was at Chrysler Group LLC’s Belvidere Assembly Plant that a ringing declaration of positive economic news was delivered with great fanfare.
New jobs.
The addition of a third shift.
$700 million in investments to the body shop.
In all, Chrysler Group will add about 1,800 jobs at the plant for production of the all-new Dodge Dart, by the third quarter of 2012. With these new jobs, the Company has added nearly 4,000 hourly jobs in the U.S. since June 2009.
And, there to deliver the good news, was Chrysler Group Chairman and CEO Sergio Marchionne, along with other dignitaries including Illinois Governor Pat Quinn. Marchionne said it was no accident that the Dart was being built in Belvidere.
“Our decision is evidence of the faith we have in your level of commitment and your passion to deliver great products for our customers,” Marchionne told employees. “You have been essential in our ability to author a remarkable story of recovery.”
A third shift will be added to operate the innovative 3-2-120 schedule, using three crews and working four 10-hour straight-time days per week for a total of 120 hours of production time. Employees on a 3-2-120 schedule work 49 fewer days per year, but the plant operates 49 more days.
Marchionne also confirmed to workers that the investment in a new 638,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art body shop had grown to nearly $700 million. The investment also included the installation of new machinery, tooling and material handling equipment exclusively for the production of the Dart.
"This announcement is proof that America’s auto industry is indeed back,” said General Holiefield, Vice President, UAW Chrysler Department, who was also on hand for the event. “With the continued commitment and hard work of its UAW-represented workers, Chrysler will continue to add more good manufacturing jobs and introduce more industry-leading vehicles, securing the future for the Company and its entire workforce.”
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Chrysler Group CEO Sergio Marchionne making his remarks today during the new jobs and investment announcement at the Belvidere (Ill.) Assembly Plant.
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