Stellantis Celebrates Launch of First New Assembly Plant in Detroit in 30 Years!

A little over two years ago, the then former Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) made a commitment to the City of Detroit and the State of Michigan. A $4.5-billion investment was put forth for five of the company’s plants inside the city and its surrounding metropolitan areas. Centered around those investments was the decision to create the new Detroit Assembly Complex – Mack facility.

Taking the two plants that made up the Mack Avenue Engine Complex, FCA combined the Mack I Engine Plant (which made 3.0-liter, 3.2-liter, and 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engines) and the idled Mack II Engine Plant to create a new state-of-the-art 3 million sq. ft. assembly plant. The new plant would be the first new assembly plant within the City of Detroit in three decades. The Jefferson North Assembly Plant (JNAP) which currently builds the Jeep Grand Cherokee (WK2) and the Dodge Durango (WD) and sits adjacent to the Mack facility, was the last plant to be built in the city back in 1991.

Being the only two plants located in the City of Detroit and being so close together, FCA remained the plants the Detroit Assembly Complex.

The Mack facility currently has 4,471 (4,193 hourly and 278 salaried) employees working on three shifts to build the all-new three-row 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L (WL75), the first in a trio of fifth-generation Grand Cherokee (WL) models. Just over 2,100 employees at the facility are Detroiters. 

According to Stellantis, the new plant has 770 inbound trucks per day, as well as 76 trucks and 95 railcars outbound per production day. It takes 36 hours from start to finish to build a new 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L. The Mack facility can build about 580 vehicles a day.

As a crowning accomplishment to the newly formed Stellantis company, the company has produced a 15-minute long documentary film, featuring the people instrumental in bringing the project to life and those who have partnered with the company to bring meaningful change to the city.

We recently talked in-depth about the new assembly plant and the different operations of the facility. But the documentary talks more about what the plant has done for the City of Detroit and how it got completed in record time despite an ongoing pandemic. 

For those who are interested or are new buyers of the new Grand Cherokee L, be sure to join our fifth-generation Grand Cherokee dedicated forums WLJeepForum.com to keep up with the latest information, news, and rumors surrounding the all-new Grand Cherokee.