.

the car junkie daily magazine.

.

Toledo, Ohio Isn’t Losing Jeep Production Without A Fight


Toledo, Ohio Isn’t Losing Jeep Production Without A Fight

Jeeps have been produced in Toledo, Ohio since the inception of the original Willys-Overland MB series, and you can bet anything you have that Toledo is extremely proud of that heritage. So when the news of FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne being quoted as saying that Jeep Wrangler production would potentially have to move from Toledo to a new location at the Paris Motor Show came to light, Toledo Mayor D. Michael Collins and Ohio Governor John Kasich held a weekend conference call with Marchionne in order to clarify FCA’s position on Toledo and Jeep production. Not many details of the calls have been explained, except Toledo’s unwillingness to let any Jeep production leave.

Currently the Toledo complex employs about 5,100 people and produces the Wrangler and the Cherokee. According to the statement from Kasich and Collins, the next step is face-to-face meetings with FCA officials. All sides are remaining tight-lipped about details, but seeing city and state officials going to bat for the Toledo workforce shows that any attempt to move Jeep production out of Ohio is going to be met with some serious resistance.

The anger isn’t just from the city or the state. UAW Local 12, the union for the Toledo complex, has been pretty vocal about the change as well.  “There’s just a feeling of betrayal. They’ve done everything they’ve been asked to do [by Chrysler] and this is the thanks they get,” said Bruce Baumhower, President of UAW Local 12. “Toledo is the birthplace of Jeep. They just feel that the Wrangler is our vehicle and that they’ve earned the right to build that vehicle no matter what it’s made of.”

JK assembly2


  • Share This
  • Pinterest
  • 0

11 thoughts on “Toledo, Ohio Isn’t Losing Jeep Production Without A Fight

  1. Thom Taylor

    Chrysler WON’T be moving Jeep production out of Toledo. It’s a game large companies pull to get tax breaks and sometimes more from cities and states to claim they “might” have to move. Marchionne is playing a game to see how much Toledo will pay Chrysler to stay.

  2. Binfordtools

    If they:
    A) Move the Jeep from Ohio
    B) Change the Wrangler to some tree hugging, eco-friendly, uni-body Prius in Jeep’s clothing, I will forever be completely done with any vehicle out of Auburn Hills! No more Ram’s, not more Wranglers – DONE!

  3. Tom Slater

    I wouldn’t mind a unibody Wrangler as long as it’s steel, stiffer than F$%K and easy to cage / plate.
    The XJ I drive has a 4.0 who’s long block is derived from the 60s, induction from ’95 or so and a 1980-something chassis. Weight: 3400 lbs, tows 5K. Can be set up to run 35s and maintain road manners.
    The JK I drove… 4600 lbs, all of it designed in the 2000s, didn’t impress me as being a much superior vehicle.
    Clearly they have room for improvement.
    I say bring on the unibody, if that will make the Wrangler suck less.

  4. sbg

    I don’t know which makes me laugh me more – that politicians, after taxing businesses to death, think that they can tell a company where they can produce their product; the union, “feeling betrayed” – it’s a job where you’re paid money for your time, or the Jeep “I’ll never buy another one” crowd who continues to buy the next one…

    1. Mike

      I haven’t bought a Jeep since Chrysler screwed over the people of Kenosha Wisconsin so i clearly have stuck by this boycott!

  5. Mike

    I stopped buying Jeeps when Chrysler took over, They rail roaded the people of Kenosha Wisconsin and now Fiat doing business as Chrysler is trying to rail road the people of Toledo Ohio! I would stop buying their products!

Comments are closed.