FCA India suspends production at award-winning Ranjangaon plant

Fiat India Automobiles, FCA’s joint venture manufacturing facility in Ranjangaon, near Pune, has announced today that it will temporarily close operations and suspend production to protect the health and safety of employees. The temporary suspension will be in effect till March 31, is in response to the increasing prevalence of Covid-19 cases in Maharashtra, and particularly in Pune.

The company says it has already implemented increased sanitary processes coupled with staffer safety measures including thermal screening and extra buses for the work commute to ensure social distancing. During this closure, the Ranjangaon plant will see intensified cleaning and sanitisation including total fumigation.

Fiat India Automobiles says it will continue to be staffed with a small number of employees, who are engaged in emergency services. A company statement said, “There will be no retrenchment of any plant employees as a result of the plant closure and all will continue to receive their salaries during this closure period.”

In December 2019, the plant was awarded the Platinum Trophy in the ‘Large Enterprise’ category at the EEPC India – QCI Quality Awards. This is India’s highest award for quality excellence, given by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, government of India.

EEPC India, sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, along with the Quality Council of India, confers recognitions to its member exporters for their outstanding contributions in the field of quality. It is evaluated on KPIs and a process, and audited by the team of highly qualified auditors from EEPC and QCI.

FCA’s Jeep Compass is produced at the Ranjangaon plant with 80% of the vehicle comprising locally-sourced componentry. The JV facility is also the global manufacturing base for all Jeep Compass SUVs that are exported to right-hand drive (RHD) markets all over the world. Currently, the Compass is being exported to 13 International RHD markets including mature ones like Japan, Australia, the UK and South Africa.

FCA launched the Jeep Compass in India in August 2017, setting a high benchmark in product quality. Earlier this year, FIAPL crossed the 50,000 production milestone for the Jeep Compass.

From launch till end-January 2019, FCA India has sold a total of 43,061 units in the domestic market comprising 30,608 diesel variants and 12,453 petrol variants.

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