Chrysler’s Detroit Axle Plant

Photos by Carolyn Allmacher

The Detroit Axle Plant is on 6700 Lynch Road in Detroit and Hamtramck, Michigan, near the Forest Lawn Cemetary and Coleman Young Airport. Built in 1917 to build munitions for World War I, it was purchased by Chrysler in 1928.

The plant was opened in 1917, but Chrysler did not buy it until 1928; the plant was expanded numerous times from 1956 onwards, the final expansion occuring in 2001, resulting in a 1.2 million square foot facility on 48 acres of land. In 2009, it made front and rear drive axles for the Dakota, Ram, Grand Cherokee, and Commander; differentials for the LX cars; and trailing axles for minivans. It also made Durango/Aspen axles while those vehicles were made.

In 1998, Detroit Axle had 1,800 employees who produced 3,400 rear-wheel drive axles per day (to increase to 4,000 by 1999.) The plant later made differentials and independent front suspensions.

The plant was represented by the UAW locals 961, 889, and 412, with 643 hourly workers, 100 salaried workers. The plant was switched to team-based manufacturing with positive effects on quality. Fred Goedtel used Detroit Axle as an example of how team-based manufacturing worked; when people had problems installing a harness; the team leader called the supplier, had them come see the problem, and told the supplier how to change the harness to make it easier to put in without damage and in less time. The problem was fixed in two days. Fred Goedtel said that problem would have taken quite a bit of paperwork and time to fix using traditional methods, and could have gone on for weeks or months.

In 1998, Chrysler noted that “The $300 million modernization project is part of Chrysler's $1.3 billion investment in facilities throughout Detroit.”

The plant is set to be closed after a new Marysville axle factory opens around 2010, to be operated by ZF.

The plant borders Mt. Elliott Street, which lent its name to a tool and die plant, and Mound Road, which once hosted Plymouth’s engine plant.

The Marysville Axle Plant was a sort of joint venture, with ZF running the plant but using Chrysler UAW people and having Chrysler as their primary customer. We were told in February 2009:

The core team has reportedly been placed back at Detroit Axle Plant until some definitive plans have been made between ZF and Chrysler LLC. The plans (currently) are for the Core Launch Team to return to MAP (Marysville Axle Plant) by the beginning of summer. There was a discrepancy as to who was going to pay for the MAP hourly people, and since ZF wouldn't commit just yet they had to come back as Chrysler was going to continue footing the bill. Currently the story is that 200 hourly people will be hired from Chrysler as the volume committment is not there as originally planned.

Key factory pages at Allpar

• Assembly plants:
  • Windsor, Ontario assembly plant complex (also see preparing Windsor for the 2008 minivans)
  • Dodge Main
  • Toledo, Ohio Jeep plants
  • Jefferson Avenue and Jefferson North
  • Sterling Heights Assembly and Stamping plants
  • Lynch Road Plymouth-DeSoto plant (1928-1980)
  • Maxwell / Chrysler New Castle plant (1907-2002)
  • AMC / Nash at El Segundo
  • Conner Avenue (Viper and Prowler)
  • Belvidere
  • Rotterdam (the Netherlands)
  • Swiss assembly plants (AMAG, MOWAG)
• Support plants:
• Twinsburg stamping plant
• Mack Avenue engine complex
• Mt. Elliott Tool & Die / Outer Drive Stamping
• Detroit Axle
• Sterling Heights Assembly and Stamping plants
• Factory photos:
• 2009 Dodge Ram
• 1995 Neon (Belvedere)
• Chrysler LeBaron Convertible (St. Louis)
• Newark Assembly Plant
• Other facilities
  • Chrysler Technical Center / Auburn Hills Complex
  • Chelsea Proving Grounds
  • Plymouth Road Office Complex (PROC / JTE)
  • Corporate Office and Display Building, 12220 Jefferson Avenue (1933-????)
  • Arizona Proving Grounds (2008) — both Wittman and Yucca
• Related pages
  • Working at the factory: Dave Tyjeski (2009), Bill Wetherholt (2009), Matt Wetherholt (2009), Views (2002), Teamwork (1998)
  • Summary of facilities, 1924-2009
  • 1966 Chrysler factories (including Space and Defense)
  • Factory closings under Daimler and Cerberus
  • Summary of facilities — including factories and administrative buildings — 2005-2007

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