Chrysler to invest up to $1 billion in St. Louis plants

Chrysler Group has announced that it is investing up to $1 billion in its St. Louis North and St. Louis South Assembly Plants to modernize and re-tool the facilities.

Currently, the North and South facilities build multiple variations of the Dodge Ram, and Chrysler and Dodge minivans, respectively. Part of the capital investment will provide St. Louis South with the capability to manufacture multiple types of vehicles on one line. St. Louis South will be the third Chrysler Group assembly plant to implement a fully robotic body shop, giving it the ability to automatically adjust to build multiple models within cycle time.

Equipment, facility and process changes will begin in 2006 as the plants continue to build Dodge Rams, and Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Caravan, and Dodge Grand Caravan minivans. The investment also is expected to reduce new-model changeover downtime.

The St. Louis South Plant was constructed in 1959. The plant employs 3,200 people. The St. Louis North Assembly Plant was built in 1966 and employs 2,300 people.