Just 2 months after producing the 1 millionth TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmission, FCA US facilities in Indiana celebrated another milestone – production of the one millionth 948TE nine-speed automatic – and officially welcomed it into the TorqueFlite transmission family. FCA North America Vice President of Manufacturing Brian Harlow, joined by the Company’s Vice President of Transmission Powertrain Jeffrey Lux, acknowledged the achievement during employee events today at both the Indiana Transmission Plant I (ITPI) and the Tipton Transmission Plant, where the nine-speed has been built since May 2013.
“Five years ago, when Chrysler Group announced that it would build the nine-speed automatic transmission in Indiana, it was a huge vote of confidence in the skills, knowledge and expertise of our local workforce, especially because ITPI would be the first plant ever to build the nine-speed,” said Harlow. “This was a significant challenge, but an even greater opportunity. There was a lot riding on our employees’ ability to deliver.
“Today, as we celebrate the one millionth nine-speed produced, I can honestly say that everyone involved rose to the challenge and exceeded expectations,” Harlow continued. “You have proven that our decision to invest here was a wise one and demonstrated what makes this workforce one of the best in the business.”
Plans for nine-speed automatic transmission production were confirmed in November 2010. FCA US, then known as Chrysler Group, announced that it was partnering with Friedrichshafen, Germany-based ZF Group, which was making its nine-speed designs and technology available to the Company and its Kokomo plants. The Company also announced that it would invest nearly $850 million in its existing transmission manufacturing facilities in Kokomo to produce the new advanced front-wheel drive automatic transmission.
