- * Two products from entirely different platforms manufactured in one plant
- * $100 million cost savings in production launch for the all-new 2004 Chrysler Pacifica
- * Chrysler Pacifica pilot vehicles result in improved quality, speed and cost
Chrysler Group'sWindsor (Ontario) Assembly Plant will move the company to the next level offlexible manufacturing by adding the all-new 2004 Chrysler Pacifica sportstourer to the same production line as its best-selling 2003 Dodge GrandCaravan and Chrysler Town & Country minivans.
The ability to produce several products under the same roof allows theChrysler Group to save millions of investment dollars, as well as bring avehicle to market faster, with better quality and minimal downtime.
With flexible manufacturing, the Chrysler Group will save nearly $100million (U.S.) for the Pacifica launch while simultaneously reducing toolingand facilities capital expenditures by approximately 40 percent. Savings arerealized by using the company's worldwide resources and a total systemapproach. A combination of creative bidding on tooling, digital manufacturingand full asset-utilization contributed to the overall savings. The company'sflexible efforts support the addition of five new products to the currentlong-range product plan.
"For the first time ever, a Chrysler Group manufacturing facility is ableto produce two entirely different products on the same production line as aresult of flexible manufacturing initiatives," said Tom LaSorda, ExecutiveVice President Manufacturing, Chrysler Group. "Flexibility lends to betteruse of our capacity, which will ultimately increase our ability to meet marketdemand more quickly, with less cost, while enhancing our competitive positionwithin the industry."