Mixed Sales Numbers For Chrysler

Sales numbers for the new Jeep Wranglers are up. Unfortunately sales numbers for Dodge Nitro are weak, and 3,000 Chrysler employees will be out of work for 2 weeks as the plant that manufactures the Nitro and the Jeep Liberty will shut down.

Chrysler LLC said it has added two hours to one shift at the factories making the Wrangler and will add those hours to a second shift starting Monday. Those factories, which the company said had been working eight-hour shifts five days a week, have 1,350 Chrysler and supplier workers.

The extra production comes after a United Auto Workers leader said Toledo Jeep could make only 583 Wranglers a day but demand was for more than 1,000 a day.

“The public can’t get enough of them,� said Bruce Baumhower, UAW Local 12 president at Toledo Jeep. Hearing about the added production time yesterday, he said, “It’s great that vehicle has exceeded everybody’s expectation and I hope it continues until they have to put on a third shift and hire more workers.�