13abc.com: Breaking News, Weather and SportsLocal suppliers getting new work from Jeep

Local suppliers getting new work from Jeep

Chrysler is driving more work to our region. In addition to creating more than 11 hundred new jobs at the Jeep complex itself, hundreds of other jobs will be coming on line at other plants around the area.

Workers at a plant in Northwood are the first to find out they'll be making some of the parts for a new Toledo built vehicle. The Johnson Controls Northwood plant has just learned they've gotten the contract to build parts for the new Jeep that will be rolling off the assembly lines here next spring. The Northwood plant has been making parts for Toledo built Jeeps for more than a decade.

Wayne Truitt is the Johnson Controls unit chair for UAW Local 12. He says they've just learned they'll be building the seats and the dash in the new Jeep SUV, "They told us about the dash a couple weeks ago and we were still waiting to hear about the seats and on Monday they made a plant announcement about he seats so everybody is happy. The contract is from May of 2013 through May of 2019. So you have some job security? Yes we do!"

Chrysler will stop building Jeep Liberty's in Toledo this summer. The plant will be shut down for several months to re-tool the lines to begin building the liberty's replacement. At the Detroit Auto Show last month Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said he's confident the new Toledo built Jeep will have an enormous impact on the SUV market, "The investment we are making in the Liberty's replacement in Toledo is from an architectural standpoint probably the most significant investment we are making. It will move Jeep into position to redefine the SUV market."

Bruce Baumhower is the President of  UAW Local 12, the union that represents workers at Jeep and Johnson Controls. He says the contract for Johnson Controls is a huge vote of confidence straight from the top, "Sergio has sent his team into the Johnson Controls Northwood plant to walk down the floor and look at the team and their productivity and they've been impressed with them just like they have with the Toledo Jeep workers. The reward came with this announcement."

Other local plants that make parts for the Liberty will soon learn if they've also landed work for the new SUV. Baumhower is confident that hundreds of new supplier jobs will be added in our region because of the second shift being added at the Jeep plant,"The new line at the plant will launch on two shifts whereas the current line there only runs on one shift and it will mean a whole other shift for the supply industry too."

In addition to the work they've landed for the new SUV, Johnson Controls also builds the seats for the Wrangler at its Northwood plant. On a side note this is not the only good news for Johnson Controls workers. The company also operates a Toledo battery plant that makes products for a number of car companies. They are in the midst of a nearly 140 million dollar expansion that will create about 50 jobs.