Chrysler Group Manufacturing Chief Recognized for Manufacturing Excellence

- Frank J. Ewasyshyn inducted into Shingo Prize Academy - Organization honors pursuit of manufacturing excellence - Address outlines manufacturing successes, goals

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., April 20 -- Frank J. Ewasyshyn, Chrysler Group Executive Vice President of Manufacturing, was today inducted into the Shingo Prize Academy. The Shingo Academy recognizes dedication to the pursuit of lean, world-class manufacturing and is managed by the Utah State University College of Business. Ewasyshyn accepted the honor at the Shingo Prize Annual Conference and Awards Ceremony in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

"We have seen significant improvement in our manufacturing organization in recent years and I am proud to be a part of it," said Ewasyshyn. "With the dedicated team we have in place I am confident that operations will continue improving as we move forward."

Ewasyshyn has been in charge of manufacturing operations at DaimlerChrysler's Chrysler Group since May, 2004. As such, he is in charge of the 64,000-person Manufacturing organization and all vehicle and component production for the company. He has held a variety of management and technical positions in the organization in his 28 years with the company.

Ewasyshyn's technical expertise and experience in the field of robotics have contributed significantly to the company's successful efforts to add flexibility and efficiency to its manufacturing operations.

"The marketplace dictates that we must be globally competitive in our manufacturing operations to be successful," said Ewasyshyn. "The new operating principles we are implementing help to ensure that."

In an address, Ewasyshyn outlined manufacturing initiatives and processes that are providing and will continue to provide a competitive advantage to the company. They build upon lean principles by putting an emphasis on people, team work and manufacturing flexibility. These processes are already in use at some of Chrysler Group's manufacturing facilities and will be implemented at others.

The transformation includes new investment that will add state-of-the-art technology into plants that will allow the production of more than one vehicle on a production line and rolling launches of new models. Additionally, workplace improvements include the implementation of team-based work structure, work station upgrades, and a new emphasis on supporting the assembly line operators. The changes are designed to create a more creative and flexible workplace environment on the plant floor.

Flexibility is also being built into manufacturing-related operations. The Chrysler Group is implementing Chaining Flexibility -- the ability to build variant vehicles at multiple plants, and Architecture or Platform Flexibility -- the ability to develop multiple vehicles using similar architectures.

And with the Toledo Supplier Park Complex, which begins production next year, the company is also introducing additional flexibility into its business model. At that facility, key supplier partners will be responsible for major elements of the manufacturing process, such as body, paint, and chassis production.

Each of these strategies offer the company more freedom to respond to market demand for its Chrysler, Jeep(R), and Dodge vehicles.

Last year the company had a second breakthrough year with an eight percent improvement in productivity, according to the Harbour manufacturing survey, a rate of improvement that led the industry. And the company expects to show another significant gain in productivity with a rate of about four percent when the Harbour report comes out again in June, despite having launched nine new products last year. At the same time, based on warranty expense, Chrysler Group has improved its quality by 40 percent since 2000.

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