The complex built 14,796 Nitros last month, production of which began in August, and 9,741 Libertys as it continued to work on reaching daily production goals. A year ago in October, the plant built 21,884 Libertys on two shifts.
Through October, Wrangler sales this year are down 9 percent to 62,913, in part because supply was interrupted as the new plant began production.
U.S. sales of the Nitro were at 4,010 through last month, and the SUV became widely available this month. Liberty sales nationwide are down 19 percent for the year at 114,218.
Chrysler and its on-site suppliers are nearly done hiring 80 temporary employees to help at the Toledo Jeep Assembly complex, where workers also are putting in extra time to fill about 50,000 orders for the higher-volume Dodge Nitro.
( THE BLADE )
Sunday shifts are uncommon at Toledo Jeep. Employees working those days get paid double-time. The average Chrysler worker makes $27 an hour, or $54 an hour on Sundays. On Saturdays, they are paid $40.50 an hour.
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