By Kirk Johannesen, The Republic
kjohannesen@therepublic.com
Cummins Inc. has reduced production at Cummins Midrange Engine Plant to two days this week because of a plant shutdown at Chrysler, a Cummins Inc. spokesman said.
Future production and staffing levels are uncertain, said Mark Land, executive director of corporate communications.
"We are only producing engines Monday and Thursday so those are the only two days those folks will work this week," he said.
Cummins learned Monday that Chrysler closed its pickup truck plant in Saltillo, Mexico, for at least the next four weeks, because of a manufacturing shutdown associated with Chrysler's bankruptcy filing.
The Saltillo plant, which already had been scheduled to be closed for at least two weeks in May, receives engines from CMEP for the Dodge Ram pickup truck, Land said.
Land said engines for non-Chrysler medium-duty customers would be produced by two shifts Monday and Thursday this week. The change affects 560 employees.
"No decision has yet been made for production or staffing levels at the plant after this week," Land said. "We will continue to keep our employees informed as we work through the issues associated with Chrysler."
Chrysler filed for bankruptcy on Thursday and said it would idle plants while it resolves the bankruptcy.
The Chrysler business accounts for about 3 percent of Cummins' total revenues.