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Chrysler To Skip Summer Shutdown at Four Plants

DETROIT (WWJ) - Strong sales have now prompted Chrysler to keep more of its plants open during the auto industry's traditional summer shutdown.

On Monday, CEO Sergio Marchionne announced that solid demand for the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango would mean Detroit's Jefferson North Plant would not take the two week summer shutdown.

Chrysler has now also decided that it will also keep open three other plants, Belvidere, Illinois; Toluca, Mexico and the Toledo Supplier Park.

Those plants all make important products including the new Dodge Dart, the Fiat 500 and the Jeep Wrangler.

Chrysler is also eliminating one week of shutdown time at its plants in Sterling Heights and Saltillo, Mexico.

The announcement comes one day after Chrysler announced a 20 percent sales increase for April. It was one of the few brands to post double-digit sales increases.

After revamping it's product lineup, Chrysler has now posted 25 consecutive year-over-year sales increases.

Connect with Jeff Gilbert
Email: jdgilbert@cbs.com
Twitter: @jefferygilbert
Facebook: facebook.com/carchronicles

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