Fiat Chrysler transforms Indiana operations

Transmission plant being retooled for engine production

4 plants in Kokomo, Indiana

• Kokomo Transmission Plant: Opened 1956; assembles transmissions for several Dodge, Jeep, Ram vehicles; machines aluminum, steel engine, transmission components
• Kokomo Casting Plant: Opened 1965; world’s largest die-casting plant; casts aluminum transmission components, transaxle cases, engine blocks
• Indiana Transmission Plant I: Opened 1998; assembles transmissions for Ram, Jeep, Chrysler vehicles
• Indiana Transmission Plant II: Opened 2003; 5-speed transmission production ended in 2018; plant has been idle since 2019, being retooled for engine production

RETOOLING

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) plans to spend $400 million to convert Indiana Transmission Plant II into Kokomo Engine Plant. It will make the 2L, turbocharged GMET4 4-cylinder engine by mid-2021. FCA now sources the engine used in the Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Cherokee SUVs from Termoli, Italy.

The upgrade will:

• Protect 1,000 Indiana jobs
• Add 200 new jobs to the 4-plant complex
• Bring total FCA Indiana manufacturing employment to 8,300

“This engine program will bring new job opportunities for our current workforce, as well as the manufacturing workforce of the future. Our employees – some of whom are second-, third-, or even fourth-generation FCA employees – have always demonstrated a passion to help deliver great products for our customers.”
–  FCA North America COO Mark Stewart

Indiana autos

In addition to FCA’s four powertrain plants, Indiana is home to:

• General Motors (GM) Bedford Casting Operations: 946 people; aluminum casting plant
• GM Fort Wayne Assembly: 4,400 people; GMC Sierra/Chevrolet Silverado pickup assembly
• Honda Manufacturing of Indiana (Greensburg): 2,500 people; Civic sedan assembly
• Subaru of Indiana Automotive (Lafayette): 6,100 people; Ascent, Impreza, Legacy, Outback assembly
• Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana (Princeton): 5,400 people; Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Sequoia, Sienna assembly (Sequoia production moving to Texas in 2022)?