- Newark Assembly
-
Closed Office Building (April 2009)
Newark Assembly was a Chrysler automobile factory in Newark, Delaware.
Contents
History
The factory opened in 1951 as a tank plant and was converted for the production of automobiles in 1957.
It was the home for the Dodge Durango, a sport utility vehicle (SUV) since the model's introduction in 1997.
On February 14, 2007, DaimlerChrysler announced that the plant would lose one working shift in 2007, and that it would be scheduled to be shut down completely in 2009.[1]
However, in October 2008, the company announced that the closure would be moved up to the end of 2008 citing a slowdown in both the economy and demand for large vehicles.[2]
On October 24, 2009, The University of Delaware announced it had signed a deal to buy the 272-acre (1.10 km2; 0.425 sq mi) Chrysler facility for US$24.25 million.[3] The property is next to the university's south campus (the main campus is a 1/4 mile north and usually accessible by bus by students). Plans are to use it as a research and development site and for the future expansion of the university.
The University of Delaware History department and the Hugh M. Morris Library have started a project to collect interviews of the former autoworkers at the Newark Assembly plant. Beginning in February 2011, a class of students consisting of Graduate and Undergraduate students have conducted interviews of these autoworkers. The goal of the project is to preserve the lives these men and women have lived and the stories they have collected while employed by Chrysler's Newark Assembly. The interviews will be available at the University's Hugh M. Morris Library in special collections for public use and research.
Products
Facility viewed from Amtrak train (May 2010)- 1974–1977 Dodge Monaco
- 1976–1980 Dodge Aspen
- 1981–1988 Dodge Aries (sedan and station wagon)
- 1981–1988 Plymouth Reliant (sedan and station wagon)
- 1982–1988 Chrysler Town and Country
- 1982–1995 Chrysler LeBaron** (sedan from 1982 to 1988)
- 1989–1995 Dodge Spirit
- 1989–1995 Plymouth Acclaim
- 1994–1996 Chrysler Concorde*
- 1994–1996 Dodge Intrepid*
- 1998–2009 Dodge Durango[4]
- 2007–2009 Chrysler Aspen[4]
- * Dodge Intrepids and Chrysler Concordes were only built in Newark Assembly from 1994 to 1996. During those years, Newark was an overflow plant for Brampton Assembly.
- ** The J-body Chrysler LeBaron coupes and convertibles were produced in St. Louis Assembly from 1987 to 1991. For 1992, production was shifted to Newark until production ended in 1993 for the coupe and 1995 for the convertible.
See also
References
- ^ "Chrysler Group Recovery and Transformation Plan Seeks Return to Profitability, Redesigns Business Model" (Press release). Daimler AG. 2007-02-14. http://www.daimler.com/dccom/0-5-7171-1-717363-1-0-0-0-0-0-9296-7164-0-0-0-0-0-0-0.html. Retrieved 2010-12-05.
- ^ "Chrysler cutting 1,825 jobs with moves at 2 plants". mlive.com. 2008-10-23. http://www.mlive.com/business/index.ssf/2008/10/chrysler_cutting_1825_jobs_wit.html. Retrieved 2010-12-05.
- ^ Bunkley, Nick (2009-10-27). "Fisker to Make Plug-in Hybrids at Former G.M. Plant". The New York Times: p. B2. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/27/business/27auto.html. Retrieved 2010-12-05.
- ^ a b Tadesse, Luladey B. (2007-01-08). "Del. leaders travel to Detroit to plea with Chrysler chief". Delaware News-Journal. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070930160925/http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070108/BUSINESS/70108039/-1/NLETTER02. Retrieved 2007-01-08.
Coordinates: 39°39′50″N 75°45′40″W / 39.664°N 75.761°W
Categories:- Chrysler factories
- Motor vehicle assembly plants in Delaware
- New Castle County, Delaware
- Defunct companies based in Delaware
- Buildings and structures in New Castle County, Delaware
- Automotive factory stubs
- Northeastern United States building and structure stubs
- Delaware stubs
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