Chrysler To Begin Flexible Manufacturing At Windsor Assembly.

Chrysler Group's Windsor (Ontario) Assembly Plant will begin flexible manufacturing when production of the all-new 2004 Chrysler Pacifica begins. The new vehicle will be produced on the same production line as its 2003 Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country minivans.

With flexible manufacturing, the Chrysler Group said it will save nearly $100 million for the Pacifica launch while simultaneously reducing tooling and facilities capital expenditures by approximately 40 percent. Savings are realized by using the company's worldwide resources and a total system approach, the company said.

A combination of creative bidding on tooling, digital manufacturing and full asset-utilization contributed to the overall savings, the company said. The company's flexible efforts support the addition of five new products to the current long-range product plan.

"For the first time ever, a Chrysler Group manufacturing facility is able to produce two entirely different products on the same production line as a result of flexible manufacturing initiatives," said Tom LaSorda, Executive Vice President Manufacturing, Chrysler Group. "Flexibility lends to better use of our capacity, which will ultimately increase our ability to meet market demand more quickly, with less cost, while enhancing our competitive position within the industry."

The key to Chrysler Group's flexible manufacturing is the order in which the body is assembled, using a unique underbody palette system in the body shop. The same flexible palette system has also been used at the company's Sterling Heights Assembly Plant in Michigan (Chrysler Sebring, Chrysler Sebring Convertible and Dodge Stratus sedan products) and the Toledo North Assembly Plant in Ohio -- home of the Jeep Liberty and Wrangler.

This means that the same production system may be used to build sedans, convertibles, minivans, sport-utility vehicles, and now, sport tourers. "A flexible manufacturing system will give the Chrysler Group the ability to increase or decrease production with ease, depending on market demand, and ultimately move us closer to obtaining our additional one million units by 2011," said LaSorda.

"We are working towards creating a footprint for a flexible manufacturing process that the entire corporation will benefit from," said Mike Tonietto, Plant Manager, Windsor Assembly Plant and Pillette Truck Assembly Plant. "Our employees and the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) are proud that the Windsor Assembly Plant has been given the opportunity to produce the latest segment- buster from the Chrysler Group. Together we will succeed."