BREAKING NEWS: Chrysler announces 1,250 new jobs for Kokomo, Tipton

KOKOMO –

Chrysler has announced 1,250 new automotive jobs coming to Indiana.

It’s investing $374 million in its transmission plants in Kokomo and Tipton.

Kokomo will get 400 new jobs and a new plant in Tipton that is already built will get 850 jobs.

The new machinery and tooling in Kokomo will be complete at the end of 2013. The Tipton plant is scheduled to be ready at the end of 2014.

These jobs are tied to new, more fuel efficient, eight- and nine-speed transmissions.

Sen. Joe Donnelly praised the announcement, saying that he pushed to save Chrysler when it went through a restructuring process in 2008 and 2009 and narrowly avoided liquidation.

“They said this day would never come,” Donnelly said. “But we made the tough choices necessary to save Hoosier jobs, and now Chrysler is stronger in north central Indiana than they were before the auto rescue.”

“Chrysler’s future and the future of North Central Indiana are tied together, and that future has never looked brighter,” said Kokomo Mayor Greg Goodnight. “Today’s announcement is a product of Mr. Marchionne’s World Class Manufacturing approach that emphasizes quality in all aspects of operations. He has developed a partnership with the UAW, Chrysler as well as state and local officials to revitalize this company, and it shows. It’s seen in the workers’ pride on the factory floors and in the showrooms where sales of Chrysler automobiles outpace competitors.”