US: Jeep Liberty '08 redesign in production

24 July 2007 | Source: just-auto.com editorial team

Chrysler Group has started production of the redesigned 2008 Jeep Liberty at its flexi-model Toledo North Assembly Plant (TNAP) in Toledo, Ohio. The Liberty is built alongside the Dodge Nitro which began production in August 2006 and will go on sale in the US later this summer.

The new Liberty is the latest model built using Chrysler Group's expanding flexible manufacturing strategy (FMS), allowing it to get new vehicles on sale quickly and efficiently; and assembly plants to build multiple models on one assembly line.

Toledo North was extensively retooled to manage the complexity of building two different models on one line. Investments included multiple plant upgrades, improving quality, productivity and worker ergonomics.

Last year, more than 160,000 sq ft were added to the plant floor area to improve body and assembly processes. Among the benefits of all these changes: the latest Liberty carried an investment 85% less than previous products, according to Chrysler.

The vehicle is the second of a two-model flexible manufacturing process implemented at Toledo North.

The plant's flexi-model retooling was part of $US3.9bn spent on Toledo manufacturing capabilities that include an original $1.2bn to build the facility (opened in 2001) and $2.1bn for the adjacent supplier park where the 2007 Wrangler models are built largely by suppliers.

FMS is being implemented product by product and plant by plant across the Chrysler Group.