Sterling Heights Plant Expansion Moves Jeep Wrangler Stamping In House

Stampings for the next-gen Jeep Wrangler will be coming from the Sterling Stamping Plant located in Sterling Heights, Michigan. FCA revealed this week. The automaker revealed last year that it will invest $166 million in the 51-year-old stamping plant. That money went toward bringing three new press lines, and it can be understood that the financial investment was made in part to accommodate Wrangler.

FCA states the financial investment will support future development of the Jeep and Ram brands and will raise yearly capacity by 20 million stampings annually. The plant presently produces body panels for Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ram truck models. Sterling Stamping will likewise provide body parts for the next-gen Ram 1500, which will be developed at the nearby Sterling Heights Assembly Plant, the previous home of the Chrysler 200 and Dodge Dart. In January, FCA revealed an update to its five-year business strategy that detailed a shift away from vehicles towards SUVs and trucks, a move it stated remained in line with consumer demand.

FCA is investing over $1 billion for Jeep production. The funds will benefit the Belvidere Assembly plant located in Illinois, which will start developing the Jeep Cherokee in 2017, and the Toledo Assembly Complex in Ohio, which will construct the next-gen Wrangler. The money will be invested on retooling and other upgrades. FCA states it has invested over $8.3 billion in its U.S. manufacturing operations from 2009, and of that amount, $3.5 billion were gone to Michigan plants.