Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Chrysler
The Harbour Report released today reveals that the Big 3 gained major ground in closing the productivity gap with Japanese automakers building vehicles in North America last year. The report found that Chrysler had actually improved enough to tie Toyota as the most productive multi-plant manufacturer on the continent, with both automakers spending an average of 30.37 hours to build a vehicle. The most productive single plant in North America also belongs to Chrysler, as the once experimental Toledo Supplier Park takes just 13.57 labor hours to build a Jeep. For their parts, General Motors plants averaged 32.29 hours per vehicle and Ford plants averaged 33.88 hours per vehicle, both an improvement over last year's numbers.

The news was not all good, however, as the report found that despite improving their productivity, the Big 3 are still unable to match the Japanese in profit made per vehicle. While Honda and Nissan earned $1,641 per vehicle built in North American last year and Toyota earned $922, Chrysler lost $412 per vehicle and GM and Ford lost $729 and $1,467 per vehicle, respectively. Much of those losses come from high health care costs and profit-shrinking incentives required to move less popular vehicles like trucks and SUVs. The Harbour Report suggests, however, that employee buyouts and those new contracts with the UAW that get them off the hook for retiree health care will improve the Big 3's profit per vehicle dramatically.

Check out the lengthy press release from the Harbour Report after the jump if you're into digging through the nitty gritty details.

[Source: The Harbour Report]Continue reading Chrysler ties Toyota for most productive plants in North America

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To bad all chrysler is pumping out is crap...
Sry...i work on them as an auto-glass tech. They really are made cheap.

 

True, I work at a local Dodge dealership for a little bit. When I say a little bit I mean a couple of days . I did however get a chance to drive a couple PT-Cruisers and a 300C. First of all I hate PT-Cruisers, but everything about it just felt cheap. I do like the 300C's, but there interior just felt cheap and it wasnt all that comfortable.