Twenty one years! That’s a pretty special milestone among milestones. To most of us it represents a big change, a moving on, a new beginning. Fitting then that 21 years ago a brand new Jefferson Avenue North Assembly Plant celebrated production of a brand new vehicle … the Jeep® Grand Cherokee.
In January 1992, the very first Jeep Grand Cherokee rolled off the JNAP assembly line. Fast forward to August 13, 2013. That same excitement rippled through JNAP today as the plant celebrated the 5 millionth vehicle to roll off the production line.
In the past, JNAP built the Jeep Commander, and is currently home to the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango.
Chrysler Group executives – Senior Vice President, Manufacturing and World Class Manufacturing Scott Garberding; Director and Head of Jeep Product Marketing Jim Morrison, and Vice President of Assembly Operations and Head of World Class Manufacturing Mauro Pino were joined by UAW Assistant Director Virdell King in congratulating the JNAP workforce, past and present, for a job well done!
Some 50 JNAP employees (pictured above), each with 30 or more years with the plant, were front-and- center as the 5 millionth vehicle, a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland, was driven into the staging area and parked right next to a 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee.
A lot has changed over those 21 years, but certainly not the can-do spirit these employees all feel, or the commitment of the brand to support our returning U.S. military heroes. In fact, the keys to the Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland were presented this morning to USO President and CEO Sloan Gibson (below) in honor of that on-going partnership.
And now, it’s back to work building the next 5 million vehicles, including the Jeep Grand Cherokee, a 21- year-old vehicle that is still the #1 SUV brand in America.
Watch full highlights of this morning’s celebration honoring the 5 millionth vehicle built at Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit.
5 Million and Counting!
