The factory on Arsenal Island is now working with a private company to make ambulance kits for the military. This morning, officials held a ceremony to announce the new partnership between the Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center (JMTC) and AM General.
Major General Daniel Mitchell is the Commander of TACOM, which stands for Tank Automotive and Armaments Command.
He says the deal will help retain 300 jobs at the manufacturing center. When the project reaches full production, the employees will make 80 ambulance kits per month.
They'll be placed on vehicles manufactured by AM General, a private Army contractor.
Illinois US Senator Dick Durbin says the JMTC has been producing the ambulance kits for years.
And this new, public/private partnership will help the Army save money and stay up-to-date on new technology.
Four years ago, the National Guard extended its ambulance kit contract with the JMTC.
And over the life of the program, the factory has produced 2,300 of them.
Engineers and others on Arsenal Island designed many of the parts and the ambulance cab which sits on the back of a HMMWV ("Humvee").
