2007 Dodge Nitro rolls into production in Toledo

Even as company officials at the Toledo Jeep Assembly complex yesterday celebrated production of the all-new 2007 Dodge Nitro, some glitches have developed.

The complex was supposed to have three work shifts building the Nitro and Jeep Liberty this week, but only two shifts are scheduled until next week.

Plus, the plant's top union official said defects and quality concerns have plagued the startup of the Nitro as well as production of the redesigned 2007 Jeep Wrangler, which began last month in adjacent factories.

Dan Henneman, chairman of United Auto Workers Local 12 at Toledo Jeep, told The Blade yesterday that the initial Nitro vehicles, which began production last week, have quality problems and none of 200 new Wranglers have been shipped off site because of quality concerns. "We'll keep working on them day by day and see where we get," he said.

But Chrysler is pleased with the production launches of both the Nitro and the Wrangler, said spokesman Michele Tinson. There are times during launches when some finished vehicles are held to ensure their quality, she explained. "There are no issues at this time that we're aware of."

Mr. Henneman's comments came on the same day Chrysler officials were in Toledo to celebrate the launch of the Nitro and to give the first news media tours of the plant where all three shifts will work next week.

Nitros will begin to be shipped to dealerships this month, and they will be widely available in November, said Luis Rivas, plant manager.

Chrysler invested $600 million in the factory so it would have the flexibility to build both the Liberty and the Nitro. The plant was expanded by 160,000 square feet, and 150 robots were added.

Though a third vehicle easily could be added to the plant, there are no plans for one, said Byron Green, vice president of truck and activity-vehicle assembly.

That factory along I-75 in north Toledo builds roughly 800 vehicles a day on two shifts. It will produce 1,157 vehicles a day with a third shift at the maximum line rate, which will take a couple of weeks to reach, Chrysler officials said.

Toledo Jeep worker Rebecca Cheatham said being able to build two vehicles on one line equals job security, because production numbers can change depending on which is selling better.

Adding a third vehicle would improve the odds of the plant being able to adjust to market demands, the Toledoan said.

"We actually could use another one," said Ms. Cheatham, who leads a team of hourly workers on the trim line.

"We want to compete. We want to be No. 1," added the 21-year Toledo Jeep veteran.

The Nitro will be a hot-selling vehicle, said worker Shirley Kay of Toledo. "We've been training for months on this so there will not be any recalls on it," the trim line worker said.

Not everyone is as upbeat.

Mr. Henneman was supposed to be part of the celebratory event yesterday, but he told The Blade he didn't want to attend because of the way Chrysler's management has pressured UAW members at the complex.

Toledo Jeep is building two new versions of the Wrangler, a two-door and a four-door, and added the Nitro as part of a historic 2003 labor accord that allowed some work to be done by on-site suppliers in return for a $2.1 billion investment.

The complex will have about 4,000 Chrysler employees, as well as hundreds of people working for suppliers, when the launches for both the Wrangler and Nitro are in full swing.

A group of Toledo Jeep workers, which did not include Mr. Henneman, protested outside the plant yesterday about the way 200 skilled trades workers were left jobless when Wrangler production moved from the now-closed Jeep Parkway factory and nearby Stickney Avenue factory to the new $900-million multifactory group next to the Liberty and Nitro factory.

Those workers wanted jobs at the new factories but instead were put into a program that will give them full pay for a year, and then they will be out of work