Shop Floor Meets Show Floor at Canadian International Auto Show: Chrysler Group Begins Production of 2005 Chrysler 300 and Dodge Magnum

* Chrysler 300 and Dodge Magnum launch begins new phase of manufacturing for rear-wheel drive vehicle production * Plant transformation enables enhanced vehicle quality, manufacturing flexibility and improved productivity * Manufacturing flexibility offers capability to build and pilot multiple models simultaneously

TORONTO and AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Feb. 11 -- The Chrysler Group launched a new phase of manufacturing today at its Brampton (Ontario) Assembly Plant to accommodate production of the all-new 2005 Chrysler 300 and Dodge Magnum, the company's family of rear-wheel drive sedans. Brampton Assembly employees celebrated the production kickoff with a live broadcast from the plant to an audience of journalists at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto, Canada.

"Our manufacturing operations in Canada are a significant part of our product offensive this year," said Wolfgang Bernhard, Chrysler Group Chief Operating Officer. "Three of the nine products being launched are made in Canada, accounting for almost two-thirds of the total expected volume for those products."

Brampton's shift from front-wheel drive to rear-wheel drive vehicle production required a major transformation at the facility. Various initiatives were implemented to enhance production quality, increase manufacturing flexibility and improve productivity at the plant.

"As the Brampton Assembly Plant begins a new chapter in its production life, it takes on flexible characteristics generally seen in newer automotive operations," said Tom LaSorda, Chrysler Group Executive Vice President of Manufacturing. "The flexibility of the revamped plant provides the capability needed to build and pilot multiple products simultaneously."

Plant Complete Makeover

Chrysler Group invested $1.4 billion (Cdn) in Canadian operations to prepare for production of the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Magnum.

According to LaSorda, approximately 80 percent of the Brampton facility was overhauled, "We viewed this project as a complete makeover -- building a new plant environment within existing walls -- rather than a facelift or typical model changeover."

Brampton's physical transformation took approximately six weeks to complete. During that period, construction crews expanded the trim, chassis and final assembly areas (TCF) by approximately twenty-five thousand square feet. They also reconfigured over 27 kilometers or 17 miles of conveyor lines and rebuilt the majority of the Body Shop.

Ninety percent of the plant's tooling and equipment changes occurred in the Body Shop, which utilizes approximately 300,000 square feet of the plant's total footprint.

One major addition in the Body Shop was the robotic framing cell, which is used to load the body side inner panel to the vehicle's underbody, and geometrically set and weld the panels together. This framing process provides new levels of installation speed, precision and efficiency, and is the first to be employed at any Chrysler Group assembly plant.

Also, a new technology called Flexible Measurement System (FMS) is being implemented in the Body Shop. FMS utilizes four robots equipped with laser vision sensors to check for precision and quality. The entire measurement cycle checks approximately 225 features on the car body in less than three minutes.

In addition to re-tooling and reconfiguration of manufacturing processes at the Brampton facility, employees experienced extensive training to prepare for the rear-wheel drive production. During the pre-launch period, pilot vehicles were built to verify processes and to provide hands-on training opportunities. Also, the employees utilized a new system of rapid detection and problem resolution to optimize efficiency and quality throughout the assembly process.

"DaimlerChrysler's investment in flexible manufacturing at the Brampton plant indicates a strong commitment to the Canadian automotive industry," said Buzz Hargrove, National President, Canadian Auto Workers. "Our members are proud to build the all-new Chrysler 300 and Dodge Magnum to benchmark quality standards."

Digital Tools and Quality

During the vehicle development process, simulation software tools were used to create a seamless union between product development and manufacturing. These tools aided the design process and simulated build processes within the plant. Digital analysis also replicated various driving conditions and wind tunnel evaluation helped fine-tune the vehicle's aerodynamics and interior quietness.

The University of Windsor/DaimlerChrysler Canada Automotive Research and Development Centre (ARDC) in Windsor, Ontario, replicated the parameters of the Brampton Assembly Paint Shop at its Automotive Coatings Research Laboratory. The purpose was to perfect a new paint process and tooling layout using both modeling software and robotics.

The "Design for Manufacturing" team, a cross-functional group responsible for developing tactics to improve operator tasks, used digital simulations of real processes to identify potential ergonomic issues. The team studied human physical movements associated with vehicle production, such as reach, posture, and visual restrictions. As a result, engineering, product and process changes have been made to improve ergonomics.

To ensure product quality, more than six million customer-equivalent miles were driven to evaluate Chrysler 300 and Dodge Magnum's overall performance and power train durability.

Advanced Manufacturing Strategy Saves Millions

The Chrysler Group has realized significant savings on its initial capital investment at the Brampton facility. The savings were derived from the company's ongoing manufacturing strategy that involves extensive asset reutilization, online bidding for equipment, and investment in new robotic technology.

"By strategically redeploying plant equipment from three other facilities in Ontario, we've transformed Brampton Assembly for rear-wheel drive production with 40 percent less capital, which has saved the company millions of dollars," said LaSorda. "Unused functional items from the plant will find a future home at another Chrysler Group facility, creating a continuous cycle of savings."

The all-new 2005 Chrysler 300 and Dodge Magnum arrive in dealerships this spring.

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