Chrysler has announced it will add 1,800 employees to its Belvidere, Illinois, plant's workforce due to an increase in production at the facility. The new positions are expected to be filled by third quarter 2012.

Company officials said about 1,300 of the employees will work on existing Jeep Compass and Liberty models, and the remainder (about 500 people) will work on new Dodge Dart.

Currently about 2,700 people are employed at the Boone County plant.

The new jobs are associated with a $68 million package of Illinois state tax breaks (and other incentives) Chrysler received in 2010.