Chrysler LLC has a $300-million investment plan for its casting and transmission plants in Kokomo, Ind., according to local officials who have received tax-abatement requests for projects at the company’s plants in that city.
The automaker said those investments are in addition to $43 million of new production capacity and tooling capability for the Kokomo Casting and Kokomo Transmission plants, announced last month. The two plants supply components for four-cylinder engines for Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep small- to mid-sized vehicles.
Since it announced a new powertrain program early in 2007, Chrysler says it has invested almost $1 billion in its manufacturing plants, including $179 million at the Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance plant in Dundee, Mich., where the four-cylinder engines are produced. For its new six-cylinder engine, Chrysler has invested $730 million at it Trenton, Mich.
In addition to the investments at Kokomo, Chrysler indicated it would rehire 379 laid-off workers at those plants, and hire 20 new supervisors.
“As Chrysler Group works to implement the business plan outlined on November 4, 2009, our facilities in Kokomo will play an integral role in achieving those objectives,” said senior vice president and head of manufacturing Scott Garberding.
