Chrysler Group's Belvidere plant adds second shift

The Chrysler Group launched a second production shift at its Belvidere (Ill.) Assembly Plant March 13. The additional shift doubled the plant's production capacity. Production of the 2007 Dodge Caliber began in January 2006. Production of the all-new 2007 Jeep® Compass at the plant will begin in May.

The addition of the second shift raised total employment at the facility from 1,650 to 2,650. All of the new jobs were filled with current Chrysler Group employees, many of whom were idled. Employees came from areas such as Newark, Del., Huntsville, Ala., Kokomo, Ind., and Toledo, Ohio. More than 360 of the employees were idled Belvidere plant employees who are now back at work.

To ramp up the second shift, new employees are working four hours on the day shift and then four hours on the night shift this week. The split shift will provide hands-on training before launching the full eight-hour afternoon shift next week.