Dundee Engine Plant Becomes First U.S. Facility to Achieve Silver in World Class Manufacturing

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May 14, 2015, 10:00 ET

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., May 14, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The FCA US Dundee Engine Plant (Mich.) has been awarded silver status for its results in implementing World Class Manufacturing (WCM), becoming the first U.S. facility and the only North American engine plant to receive this designation.

The plant received the silver designation, just over five years after adopting the WCM operating system, following a two-day audit May 12-13, 2015. Silver is awarded after earning a minimum of 60 points in 10 technical and 10 managerial pillars by demonstrating clear WCM know-how and competence through employee-conducted pillar presentations and a review of projects that have been expanded across the shop floor.

The silver award makes Dundee the second-highest ranked of the Company's North American manufacturing facilities after the Windsor Assembly Plant (Ont.), which received silver in March 2014. Dundee was the first facility to earn bronze, the first WCM award level, in April 2012.

"Dundee Engine Plant employees were early adopters of the WCM methodology and their commitment to furthering its implementation now has resulted in a silver designation," said Brian Harlow, Vice President – Manufacturing, FCA North America. "They clearly demonstrated a deeper understanding of the methodology and embraced the opportunity to showcase their significant progress during the audit."

"World Class Manufacturing has been critical to our success over the past six years and we couldn't have done it without the support and commitment of our UAW partners," said Harlow. "It is because of the active involvement and participation of our hourly employees that we are on a path to making our manufacturing facilities among the best in the world."

World Class Manufacturing is a methodology that focuses on reducing waste, increasing productivity and improving quality and safety in a systematic and organized way. WCM engages the workforce to provide and implement suggestions on how to improve their jobs and their plants.

WCM was first implemented by Fiat in 2006 and introduced to Chrysler Group as part of the alliance between the two companies in June 2009.

During an audit, zero to five points are awarded for each of the 10 technical pillars, which include safety, workplace organization, logistics and the environment, and for each of the 10 managerial pillars such as management commitment, clarity of objectives, allocation of people, motivation of operators and commitment of the organization. A score of 100 would indicate World Class.

Two WCM certified auditors from FCA – the Head of Manufacturing Planning Control and Powertrain Operations for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and the Plant Manager of VM Motori in Italy – performed the audits.

In addition to the two silver plants, there are currently seven facilities that hold the WCM bronze designation. They are Toledo Assembly Complex (Ohio), Saltillo Truck Assembly Plant (Mex.), Trenton Engine Complex (Mich.), Warren Stamping (Mich.), Indiana Transmission Plant II (Ind.), Kokomo Transmission Plant (Ind.) and Toluca Assembly Plant (Mex.).

About the Dundee Engine Plant
The Dundee Engine Plant, formerly the Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance (GEMA), was established as a joint venture between Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, Hyundai Motor Company and DaimlerChrysler Corporation in 2003. Production was launched on the north side of the plant in October 2005, followed by production on the south side in November 2006. The plant currently employs over 700.

Since 2009, more than $380 million has been invested for production of new fuel-efficient engines, including:

1.4-liter, 16-valve Fully Integrated Robotized Engine (FIRE) with MultiAir® technology
1.4-liter, 16-valve FIRE Turbocharged with MultiAir® technology
2.0- and 2.4-liter I-4 naturally aspirated engines
2.0-liter I-4 Tigershark Dual Overhead Cam (DOHC) 2.4-liter I-4 Tigershark Dual Overhead Cam (DOHC)

About FCA US LLC
FCA US LLC is a North American automaker with a new name and a long history. Headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, FCA US is a member of the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (FCA) family of companies. FCA US designs, engineers, manufactures and sells vehicles under the Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram and FIAT brands as well as the SRT performance vehicle designation. The company also distributes the Alfa Romeo 4C model and Mopar products. FCA US is building upon the historic foundations of Chrysler, the innovative American automaker first established by Walter P. Chrysler in 1925; and Fiat, founded in Italy in 1899 by pioneering entrepreneurs, including Giovanni Agnelli.

FCA, the seventh-largest automaker in the world based on total annual vehicle sales, is an international automotive group. FCA is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "FCAU" and on the Mercato Telematico Azionario under the symbol "FCA."

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