KOKOMO, Ind., March 5, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --
- FCA North America COO makes announcement joined by
Indiana Governor
- Indiana Transmission Plant II in Kokomo to be transformed into engine
plant
- Revamped facility to retain about 1,000 jobs and add nearly
200 more, bringing total FCA employment in Indiana to more than 8,300
- GMET4, part of FCA's Global Medium Engine family, provides
outstanding fuel economy and low emissions
- Engine to play important role in electric engine
offerings
- U.S. production of the GMET4 relocated from Italy
- Facility to be renamed Kokomo Engine Plant; production to
start in Q2 2021
- FCA has invested more than $2
billion in Indiana and more
than $14 billion in the U.S., while
adding more than 30,000 new jobs, since 2009
FCA announced today that it will invest $400 million to repurpose an idled transmission
plant in Kokomo, Ind., to build
the GMET4 engine – the Company's 2.0-liter Global Medium Engine
inline four-cylinder turbo that is currently offered on the
Jeep® Wrangler and Jeep Cherokee. With this investment, 1,000
Indiana jobs will be retained with
nearly 200 new jobs added to support production, bringing total
employment in the state to more than 8,300.
FCA North America Chief Operating Officer Mark Stewart, along with Indiana Governor Eric
Holcomb, Kokomo Mayor
Tyler Moore, UAW Vice President and
Director of the FCA Department Cindy
Estrada and UAW Region 2B
Director Rich Rankin, joined other
local officials and guests to celebrate the news at an event at the
plant, which will be renamed Kokomo Engine Plant.
In his remarks, Stewart talked about the importance of this
engine to the Company's future powertrain strategy.
"The GMET4 will be a very important engine for us as we look to
deliver on the promises we made as part of our five-year plan in
2018," Stewart said. "While the 2.0-liter is a current engine
option on the Jeep Wrangler and Cherokee models, a significant
number of new technologies can be applied to this engine, making it
relevant for the future. It will play an important role in our
plans to offer electric engine options across 30 nameplates that
FCA will bring to markets around the world by 2022."
The new facility will be the source of all U.S. production for
the engine currently built in Termoli, Italy. Production is expected to begin in Q2
2021.
Stewart acknowledged the support of the State of Indiana, the City of Kokomo and the UAW for working with
the Company to finalize its investment plans.
"I'd like to add my appreciation to both Governor Holcomb and
Mayor Moore for seeing the opportunities that exist with this
investment and helping give this facility new life," Stewart said.
"I also want to thank Cindy Estrada
and Rich Rankin, as well as the rest
of the UAW leadership, for working with us to preserve and add
jobs. Their support will be critical to building a quality engine
for our customers."
For more than eight decades, FCA has built transmissions in
Indiana, more than 90 million
since record keeping began in 1974. Since 2009, the Company has
invested nearly $2 billion in its
four area plants to produce the eight- and nine-speed
transmissions, some of the most fuel-efficient transmissions on the
market. When production of the GMET4 launches, it will mark the
first time in the Company's history that it has built engines in
the state.
But, according to Stewart, the decision to invest in
Indiana and transform the plant
into the Kokomo Engine Plant came down to the level of commitment
shown by the women and men who work in the region.
"As engine technology continues to change, our focus must
continue to be on our most valuable asset – our people," Stewart
said. "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."
In total, FCA has committed to invest more than $14 billion in its U.S. manufacturing operations,
creating nearly 30,000 new jobs since June
2009.
GMET4 Engine
The 2.0-liter turbocharged I-4 engine is part of FCA's Global
Medium Engine family. Identified as the GMET4, this high-tech,
direct-injection engine uses a twin-scroll, low-inertia
turbocharger mounted directly to the cylinder head, along with a
dedicated cooling circuit for the turbocharger, intake air and
throttle body for exceptional responsiveness, performance and fuel
efficiency. The engine is fitted with double overhead camshafts,
dual independent camshaft timing and cooled exhaust gas
recirculation. Direct injection delivers fuel into the cylinder
and, coupled with turbocharging, enables more efficient combustion,
reduced emissions and increased performance. The foundation of the
engine is a low-pressure sand cast-aluminum block with cast-in iron
cylinder liners and a cast aluminum alloy cylinder head.
When equipped with the GMET4, the Jeep Cherokee can deliver over
30 mpg highway and provide outstanding off-road performance, while
the Jeep Wrangler can deliver a rating of 24 mpg highway.
FCA in Indiana
Construction of Indiana Transmission Plant II (ITPII), which will
be renamed Kokomo Engine Plant, began in 2002 and launched
production of five-speed transmissions in November 2003. The
plant also produced components for eight-speed transmissions. ITPII
built its last five-speed transmission in August 2018 and was idled in the fall of
2019.
FCA currently operates three transmission plants and one casting
plant in Indiana. The portfolio of
transmissions includes four-, six-, eight- and nine-speed
transmissions, as well as the SiEVT transmission for the Chrysler
Pacifica plug-in hybrid electric minivan, built at the Windsor
Assembly Plant in Ontario, Canada.
The casting plant produces aluminum parts for automotive
components, transmission and transaxle cases, and engine block
castings.
FCA
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) is a global automaker that designs,
engineers, manufactures and sells vehicles in a portfolio of
exciting brands, including Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge,
Fiat, Fiat Professional, Jeep®, Lancia, Ram and Maserati.
It also sells parts and services under the Mopar name and operates
in the components and production systems sectors under the Comau
and Teksid brands. FCA employs nearly 200,000 people around
the globe. For more details regarding FCA (NYSE: FCAU/ MTA: FCA),
please visit www.fcagroup.com.
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