Chrysler to rehire 379 laid-off workers at Kokomo plants, invest $43M

Chrysler to rehire 376 workers at Kokomo plants

DETROIT — Chrysler Group LLC says it will rehire 379 laid-off workers and hire 20 new supervisors to build transmissions at its operations in Kokomo, Indiana.

The company said Tuesday that it will invest $43 million in equipment to expand the Kokomo operations, which include casting and transmission plants.

Some of the workers have already been brought back, said Chrysler spokeswoman Jodi Tinson.

The factories will build components and transmissions that accompany four-cylinder engines in the Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep small and midsize vehicles.

Chrysler says the investment was made possible because of tax abatement granted by the city of Kokomo.

The company said the Kokomo announcement brings its investment in new powertrains to nearly $1 billion since 2007.

The investments include $179 million at the Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance plant in Dundee, Michigan to make new four-cylinder engines and $730 million in a Trenton, Michigan, factory that is building a new 6-cylinder engine, Chrysler said in a statement.