Chrysler Group, GETRAG, UAW and Indiana Governor Daniels Announce Tipton County as Site for New Joint-Venture Transmission Plant
18 Junio 2007 - 3:30PM
PR Newswire (US)
- Chrysler Group and GETRAG make $530 million investment in Tipton
County TIPTON COUNTY, Ind., June 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
Richard Chow-Wah, Chrysler Group Vice President - Powertrain
Manufacturing, joined Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels to officially
name Tipton County, Ind., as the site of a new dual-clutch
transmission manufacturing plant with partner company, GETRAG. The
$530 million investment is another step in Chrysler Group's
"Powertrain Offensive" -- $3 billion in investments to produce more
fuel- efficient engines, transmissions and axles for Chrysler
Group. "We appreciate the support that has been offered by state
and local officials to help bring this investment to Indiana," said
Chow-Wah. "Together with our new partner, GETRAG, our combined $530
million investment in Tipton will create a state-of-the art
facility to manufacture fuel-efficient, dual- clutch transmissions
and reaffirm our long-term commitment to producing vehicles that
meet and exceed consumers' demands for more economical-to- operate
vehicles." "This is an important day for the future of the UAW and
Chrysler, and in particular for the continued competitiveness of
our team here in the State of Indiana," said General Holiefield,
UAW Vice President, who directs the union's DaimlerChrysler
Department. "This investment is a significant step toward realizing
our vision to see this company and our union grow this business and
transform Chrysler into a stronger company that will be competitive
for the long run." Located on a 145-acre site at the intersection
of State Road 28 and U.S. 31 in Tipton County, GETRAG will have the
operational leadership of the plant which will employ approximately
1,050 full-time Chrysler Group UAW-represented workers and 120
management employees from both companies. The plant will produce
700,000 dual-clutch transmissions annually. Additionally, the plant
will have a direct effect on 230 employees at Kokomo Casting and
Kokomo Transmission who will be dedicated to producing parts for
the GETRAG plant. Construction of the 804,000 square-foot facility
is scheduled to begin June 27, 2007, with production beginning in
2009. "Indiana's comeback rolls on. Today is a tribute to the skill
of Hoosier workers and the pro-growth climate we are building in
our state," said Daniels. "Dual-clutch transmissions (DCTs) provide
much better shift quality, driving comfort, and superior fuel
efficiency compared to more conventional technologies such as
torque converter automatics and/or CVTs," said Ulrich Kohler, Vice
President Manufacturing - GETRAG Transmissions Corporation. "DCTs
replace the energy-sapping torque converters of conventional
automatic transmissions with two wet or lubricated clutches - one
that engages first, third and fifth gear and the other that engages
second, fourth and sixth. As a result, the transmission can deliver
a five to 10 percent improvement in fuel economy." GETRAG Corporate
Group is the largest independent automotive transmission
manufacturer worldwide with approximately 12,400 employees at 23
locations. The company's headquarters is in Untergruppenbach,
Germany. The Group develops technical solutions for the automotive
industry, featuring a wide product range of transmission systems
and powertrain components for passenger cars, SUVs, motorbikes and
light commercial vehicles. In 2006, the Group had total revenues of
2.4 billion Euros. Chrysler Group, headquartered in Auburn Hills,
Mich., will be the city of Tipton's largest employer. Since 2002,
Chrysler Group has invested $985 million toward plant and
engineering operations in Indiana. Through its philanthropic arm,
the DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund, the company has sponsored
several organizations in the community including the Minority
Business and Professional Achievers, the United Way Campaign and
Partner With Youth Campaign. In addition, the Fund has donated more
than $300,000 to local colleges and universities in the State of
Indiana, including Purdue University and Indiana University.
DATASOURCE: Chrysler Group CONTACT: Kevin Frazier, +1-248-512-3469,
cell, +1-248-808-1484, , or Curtrise Garner, +1-248-512-2712, cell,
+1-248-761-8309, , both of Chrysler Group; or Karin Burgmer of
GETRAG Corporate Group, 49-221-5897-2010, Web site:
http://www.media.daimlerchrysler.com/
http://www.daimlerchrysler.com/
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