Dodge Magnum & Chrysler 300 Brampton Plant Helps Ontario to Surpass Michigan in Output

A major reason why Ontario is poised to overtake Michigan as North America's top producer of cars for the first time this year is the DaimlerChrysler Brampton plant, which currently produces the Dodge Magnum and Chrysler 300.

The Brampton plant assembles about 970 vehicles per day currently. Officials have stated that it is set to add a third shift in early 2005, hoping to meet the demands for the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Magnum. It will also begin producing a new Dodge Charger for 2005. The extra shift is expected to create 900 more jobs, for a total workforce of 3,900 at the Brampton plant.

DaimlerChrysler reported it sold 93,200 Chrysler 300 cars and 33,000 Dodge Magnum vehicles in the first 11 months of 2004. Brampton is an example of a growing number of plants being converted to a "flexible manufacturing" system that allows several models to be produced on a single assembly line.

At the Brampton plant, the Chrysler 300, the Dodge Magnum and soon the Dodge Charger, share many of the same basic components, such as engines, powertrains and floor panels. The three vehicles can be built simultaneously.