Chrysler minivan sales have Windsor plant working OT

The minivans built at the Windsor Assembly Plant in Windsor are helping fuel the company's increasing sales figures.

The CAW's Local 444 president Rick Laporte is pleased, but also somewhat surprised, with how well the Chrysler minivans are selling, especially in the U.S.

Sales of the Dodge Grand Caravan jumped 43 per cent in March over the same month last year; for the Town and Country, sales were up 32 per cent.

More than 60,000 Chrysler minivans have been sold in the U.S. this year.

'We feel good about what we're doing.'— Local 444 president Rick Laporte

The demand has resulted in overtime for workers at the assembly plant over the past couple of weeks. Laporte expects that to continue.

"As Chrysler workers, we feel good about what we're doing and what we're accomplishing," he said.

Dave Buckingham is the chief operating officer with Chrysler Canada. He said the Grand Caravan and the Town and Country "have the most utility, combined with the most value" of all the cars in the Chrysler lineup.

Buckingham said the Chrysler minivans are still selling well on this side of the border as well.

"The Grand Caravan is the No. 4-selling vehicle in all of Canada. So minivan sales are right where they need to be for all of us to be extremely successful," he said.

Chrysler was the top seller of vehicles in Canada for the first quarter of 2012. Chrysler's overall sales last month jumped eight per cent in Canada when compared to a year earlier.

It was the company's 28th straight month of improved sales.