Chrysler Plans to Add 1,100 Jobs at Toledo Plant

Chrysler moves forward with its plans of adding more than 1,100 jobs at Toledo assembly plant by 2013, despite the shaky economy that scared a bit the investors lat week. The car manufacturer plans to invest about $365 million at its Jeep Liberty and Dodge Nitro SUV plant. It is expected that the investment is scheduled for the next-generation Liberty based Fiat platform. Furthermore, the plans depend on the approval of tax incentives by Toledo and two school districts.

"This project is ... going to put many of the parents of our students to work," Bob Vasquez, board president for Toledo Public Schools was quoted as saying by Detroit Free Press. The addition of the new jobs will bring the total of manufacturing jobs announced this year by General Motors, Ford and Chrysler to more than 11,100.

An encouraging fact is that in Michigan, hourly employment in the car manufacturing industry had generally increased by 25 percent to 129,300 since January 2009, according to Kristin Dziczek, director of the labor and industry group for the Center for Automotive Research. Still, General Motors, Ford an Chrysler plan could be in danger if the US economy goes into double-dip recession.

Moreover, the car manufacturers are counting on an improving economy, but pointing out that they are better adapted to weather economic difficulties given the past experiences. “We are in a different place now,” said Michel Robinet, Director of Global production forecasts for IHS Automotive.