March 1, 2019—Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. confirmed recently plans to invest a total of $4.5 billion in five of its existing Michigan plants, and to work with the city of Detroit and state of Michigan on building a new assembly plant within city limits.
The move would increase capacity to meet growing demand for its Jeep and Ram brands, including production of two new Jeep-branded white space products, as well as electrified models. The proposed projects would create nearly 6,500 new jobs.
The plant actions detailed in the announcement represent the next steps in a U.S. manufacturing realignment that FCA began in 2016.
In response to a shift in consumer demand toward SUVs and trucks, the company discontinued compact car production and retooled plants in Illinois, Ohio and Michigan to make full use of available capacity to expand the Jeep and Ram brands.
