[Allpar News System]

The Windsor assembly plant, which makes all of Chrysler’s minivans, is now on half-shifts. This week, all three shifts are four hours long. While orders are strong, with nearly a month of backlog, a shortage of 3.6 liter engines is holding back production. The engines are in hot demand for Rams, Journeys, Grand Cherokees, and large and mid-sized cars as well as the minivans. Trenton Engine is reportedly also working on building up a supply of 3.2 liter engines for the Jeep Cherokee. While there are two V6 engine plants now, the original plans called for three, and the shortfall has been felt for some time. Chrysler is working to build up capacity, but it will be some time before the company has sufficient supplies. (Thanks, Boris.)

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[Yawman99]

I think they should have kept Kenosha going. Is it too late to start it back up to meet V6 demand? Has it been fully closed and sold off?

 

[Mark Hall_78689]

Sean, you are absolutely correct. Unfortunately everything in Kenosha is gone, the experienced work force which produced one of the finest engines ever, is gone. It's quite ironic that Mexico was chosen over Kenosha and now Chrysler finds itself in a bind for the supply of engines. Kind of like the problem Chrysler has with the new Jeep Cherokee......the plant is for all practical purposes ready, the work force is more than ready but they have no nine speed transmissions for the vehicles......how much in lost revenue is that costing the company and the work force? Sometimes I think the "Grand Plan" wasn't so grandly thought out and coordinated.

 

[Dave Z]

The grand plan was executed by three different companies.

It was Mercedes that wanted to move everything to subcontractors and Mexico.

Cerberus cut whatever they could during their brief stay.

Then Fiat arrived and worked with what was left.

No argument on Kenosha. What they're doing now is using Mack and Trenton and Dundee.