FCA released this press release today detailing their plans to invest in updating the Warren Truck assembly plant as well as move Ram heavy duty production from Saltillo Mexico, to the updated Warren Truck plant to be build alongside the upcoming Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer.
“January 11, 2018 , Auburn Hills, Mich. – FCA announced today two actions made possible in part by the passage of U.S. tax reform legislation late last year — an additional investment in its U.S. manufacturing operations and a special payment to recognize employees for their continued efforts toward the success of the Company.
First, the Company confirmed that it will invest more than $1 billion to modernize the Warren Truck Assembly Plant (Michigan) to produce the next-generation Ram Heavy Duty truck, which will relocate from its current production location in Saltillo, Mexico, in 2020. This investment is in addition to the announcement made in January 2017, which committed to spending a portion of $1 billion in Warren Truck Assembly to expand the Jeep® product line with the addition of the all-new Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer. The Saltillo Truck Assembly Plant will be repurposed to produce future commercial vehicles for global distribution.
To support the increased volume at the Warren facility, 2,500 new jobs will be created, above and beyond the jobs announced as part of the January 2017 announcement.
Second, the Company confirmed that it will make a special bonus payment of $2,000 to approximately 60,000 FCA hourly and salaried employees in the U.S., excluding senior leadership. The payment, which recognizes employees for their continued commitment to the Company’s success, will be made in the second quarter of this year, and will be in addition to any profit sharing and salaried performance bonuses that employees would otherwise be eligible to receive in 2018. The special bonus will be paid to all eligible employees of the FCA automotive and components operations in the U.S.
“These announcements reflect our ongoing commitment to our U.S. manufacturing footprint and the dedicated employees who have contributed to FCA’s success,” said Sergio Marchionne, Chief Executive Officer, FCA. “It is only proper that our employees share in the savings generated by tax reform and that we openly acknowledge the resulting improvement in the U.S. business environment by investing in our industrial footprint accordingly.”