DaimlerChrysler
plans to adopt more flexible German production techniques at many of its Chrysler
North American sites saving hundreds of millions of dollars in the process, writes
the UK’s Financial Times (24/11/00).
The newspaper also reported that Dieter Zetsche – who was appointed chief executive
of Chrysler last week – approached the United Autoworkers Union on Thursday
(23/11/00) about redundancies and cost cuts as well as making Chrysler workers’
contracts, which run until 2003, more flexible.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Citing DaimlerChrysler’s chief financial officer Manfred Gentz in Berlin, the
FT reports that job cuts at Chrysler could not be ruled out. More temporary
factory closures – to reduce overstocking – would also take place.
One company executive was also reported to have said that the sites were inflexible
– with factories only able to produce a single model – hence the car-maker had
suspended production at three plants as there was no demand for their models,
while DaimlerChrysler could not meet the demand for its retro-styled PT Cruiser
vehicle.
According to the FT, the PT Cruiser will also be built in Graz, Austria next
year, although the automaker is said to be seeking at least one more site within
the US.
Officially, however, DaimlerChrysler has said that no final decision had been
made on US manufacturing changes, although a number of options were being considered.
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By GlobalData
Wolfgang Bernhard, Chrysler’s chief operating officer, is in charge of restructuring,
reports the FT.
