Tipton looks forward to 850 new jobs

TIPTON, Ind. (WISH) - Tipton leaders say they’re looking forward to the opportunities their community may see from Chrysler’s announcement to bring 850 jobs by 2014.

"The opportunity for the community is to determine how it wants to capitalize on this opportunity that Chrysler is placing in front of it,” said Mayor Don Havens, who added the town’s population has been on the decline.  “How many of these families can we capture? How can we make ourselves attractive to these folks who are going to populate this plant as employees - how can we get to populate our community as residents?”

“It’s a big thing! A very big thing!” said Mike Phillips, who owns a collectible and antique shop downtown.  “Who do you talk to everyday that doesn’t know somebody who’s looking for some sort of employment? It’d be a fantastic thing!”

Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne made the announcement in person Thursday – laying out the automotive giant’s plans to move a transmission plant into an 800-thousand square-foot building along U.S. 31 that’s been empty and unfinished since 2008.

Formerly known as the Getrag plant, the building has never had an occupant. Getrag halted construction in 2008 when Chrysler filed for bankruptcy.

Now Chrysler is back and is buying the building. It’s part of a $374 million improvement plan that also includes upgrades and new jobs to Chrysler plants in Kokomo.

"Our investments in Kokomo and Tipton are a tribute to the character of the men and women of Chrysler who survived a near fatal experience and have embraced the challenge of building an enterprise that is able to compete with the best in the world," said Marchionne.

This investment in Tipton will make it the largest transmission installation in the world.

“I think the housing market will pick back up and hopefully some new developments,” said Jill Marley, a local resident. “You know, it takes time – it takes time to recover.”

Chrysler currently has three transmission plants and a metal casting plant in the Kokomo area that employ a bit more than 6,000 people.

Chrysler is moving ahead to get the new assembly lines up and running.

The plan is to have equipment and tooling installed in the Kokomo plants by the fourth quarter of 2013. The Tipton plant should be up and running by the end of next year.