Tipton, Indiana – FCA US opened two training facilities in Indiana – the World Class Manufacturing Academy at its Tipton Transmission Plant, and the UAW-Chrysler National Training Center (NTC) in Kokomo. The centers will offer hands-on training for 8,200 powertrain employees.
FCA Head of Manufacturing Brian Harlow, said, “World Class Manufacturing (WCM) has fueled a true cultural change at our company, because its goal of continuous improvement depends on engaging people at every level in planning, executing and problem solving. The Academy was developed in order to accelerate the pace at which we implement the World Class Manufacturing system and take it to higher levels.”
WCM focuses on eliminating waste and systematically improving quality and safety. Employees provide and apply suggestions on how to improve their jobs and their plants. It was first implemented by Fiat in 2006 and introduced to Chrysler Group as part of the alliance between the two companies in June 2009.
“Today’s high-tech manufacturing requires workers who are adaptable, can think critically and understand how to problem-solve,” said Harlow. “Working together with state and local schools, we are helping to train the next generation of advanced manufacturing employees and creating a pipeline for future workers.”
Since 2009, FCA US has committed investments of more than $2.1 billion and added more than 4,100 new jobs to its Indiana transmission operations. The five Kokomo- and Tipton-area manufacturing plants (Kokomo Transmission, Kokomo Casting, Indiana Transmission I and II, and Tipton Transmission) produce the 4-, 5-, 6-, 8-, and 9-speed transmissions powering the Chrysler 300, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Grand Caravan, and Ram pickup. Tipton is the manufacturing site for the eFlite dual-motor electrically variable transmission that powers the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan.