Subaru, Stellantis celebrate 5 million mark
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Two automakers are marking milestones this week in Indiana. Subaru of Indiana Automotive in Lafayette has produced its 5 millionth Subaru vehicle and the Stellantis Tipton Transmission Plant has manufactured its 5 millionth nine-speed transmission.
SIA celebrated the occasion as a 2022 Outback Wilderness rolled off the assembly line. The milestone also marks the company’s 35th anniversary year, which began production on September 11, 1989.
The Indiana plant is Subaru’s only manufacturing facility outside of Japan and currently makes the Ascent, Impreza, Legacy and Outback models. SIA says it produces about half of all Subaru vehicles sold in North America.
“Reaching our 35th anniversary and 5 million Subaru vehicles in the same year provides a great opportunity to reflect on how far we’ve come,” said Scott Brand, SIA executive vice president. “I’m especially proud of our associates and the way they continuously meet our customers’ expectations for safe, quality vehicles.”
When the factory opened in 1987, it was a joint venture between Subaru and Isuzu. In 2016, it switched exclusively to Subaru vehicles. Over the years, the plant also partnered with Honda and Toyota. When you factor in those joint efforts, SIA currently expects to produce its 7 millionth overall vehicle in December.
Meanwhile, global automaker Stellantis (NYSE: STLA), which is headquartered in Amsterdam, has also reached what it calls a “significant” milestone. The company’s Tipton Transmission Plant recently completed its 5-millionth nine-speed transmission. Stellantis also manufactures transmissions at its Indiana Transmission Plant in Kokomo.
The transmissions are shipped globally for use in various Chrysler, Fiat and Jeep models.
Tipton production began in April 2014.
“To achieve five million takes continual focus and determination from so many great people,” said David Dukes, ITP and TTP Complex Manager. “We are grateful for all the employees who had a hand in building the very first nine-speed transmission in 2014 to the people that built the 5-millionth and every transmission in between.”
The company announced in February 2013 that it would acquire the Tipton facility and invest $162 million to establish it as an additional assembly site for the nine-speed transmission, which was also being built at ITP, creating approximately 850 new jobs.
In May, Stellantis announced it would, in a joint venture with Samsung SDI, invest more than $2.5 billion to build an electric vehicle battery facility in Kokomo and create 1,400 jobs.