The comeback of the Chrysler Group has led to a dramatic growth in employment at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles North American headquarters and technical center in Auburn Hills and more is anticipated in the new five-year plan the automaker laid out this week.
Chrysler Group employment in Auburn Hills has climbed to more than 14,000 today after dropping to around 7,500 during the company’s bankruptcy five years ago.
The Auburn Hills’ numbers includes 450 summer interns, underscoring FCA chief executive Sergio Marchionne’s faith in the future.
Chrysler’s total employment has climbed to 71,000 from 46,000 during the 2009 bankruptcy. The expansion of the company’s employment base has included the addition of hundreds of workers at plants in Sterling Heights, Warren, Trenton and Detroit.
The local number is expected go higher as the company begins to spend more than $67 billion on research and development and engineering new vehicles. Much of the money will be spent in Southeast Michigan as the company brings on a new Chrysler minivan, small cars, luxury vehicles, new utility vehicles for the Jeep and Dodge brands and expands the Ram truck line.
“This house has purpose,” said Marchionne, as he laid out the plan for investment bankers, analysts and journalists this week.