Problem
The Toledo Jeep assembly plant is the oldest automotive assembly plant in the nation and Chrysler wants to replace it with a new plant, but the Toledo economic development groups say “there are no sites large enough for a new assembly plant in Toledo”.
Solution
Benchmark’s Dave Wallace located and designed a site for the new $1.2 billion Chrysler Jeep Assembly Plant with an additional 100 acre supplier park by reclaiming & exchanging natural wetlands, moving a railroad switch yard & rail line for a new access road to Interstate-75, relocating 14 businesses and 120 houses, upgrading the exiting road & transportation system, finishing and capping 2 river polluting landfills.
Results
Chrysler acknowledged the new site saved about $400 million in operations cost due to its proximity to their existing plant and kept it 5,600 Jeep jobs and the associated 20,000 supporting jobs in Toledo.