Chrysler fits plant for new Sebring

Clarence Tabb Jr. / The Detroit News

Nikita Lee installs a front seat at Chrysler's Sterling Heights plant, which joins an Illinois facility as the company's standard for manufacturing.

Updated Sterling Heights assembly showcases flexible manufacturing.

Josee Valcourt / The Detroit News

STERLING HEIGHTS -- Chrysler Group on Thursday showed off its makeover of the Sterling Heights assembly plant, home to the redesigned 2007 Sebring midsize sedan.

With a $500 million investment in the factory and nearby stamping plant, the facility joins Chrysler Group's Belvidere, Ill., as the gold standard for the automaker's flexible manufacturing system.

The Sterling Heights plant can produce up to three small and midsize models on a single line, said Fred Goedtel at an event Thursday to showcase the updated plant. Goedtel is vice president of Chrysler assembly plants, where small, family and premium vehicles such as the Chrysler 300C and Town & Country minivan are built.

If needed, the Dodge Caliber, now built at the Belvidere plant, could be added to the Sterling Height's line, Goedtel said.

Among 13 Chrysler factories in North America that have installed some level of flexibility, Sterling Heights and Belvidere are the top of the heap.

Typically, flexible factory lines include teams where workers can perform more than one job and include a number of automated procedures.

At the Sterling Heights plant, Chrysler has 784 robots working along the line to weld frames and move pieces.

Bill Parker, president of United Auto Workers Local 1700, called the Sebring launch good news.

"It's really what we want: More jobs and to keep the jobs here," Parker said.

Local 1700, along with Locals 889 and 412, represent 2,609 workers at the factory and an additional 2,500 at the Sterling Heights stamping plant.

Sterling Heights currently is operating one shift to build the Sebring, but will add another when assembly begins on the convertible, which comes out next year.

The hard-top Sebring, priced at $18,995, will arrive in showrooms in November. J.D. Powers and Associates projects Chrysler will annually sell up to 90,000 of the vehicle, which underwent a complete redesign.

You can reach Josee