Stellantis, the automotive giant known for brands such as Ram, Jeep, and Dodge, is poised to revive its Belvidere, Illinois manufacturing facility.
This move comes as the company plans to produce the new Dodge Durango within the United States, following former President Donald Trump's threats to impose tariffs on Canada and Mexico, where Stellantis currently operates some of its production lines.
According to The Post Millennial, Stellantis North America COO Antonio Filosa communicated to employees that company chairman John Elkann had a meeting with Trump before his inauguration. Filosa highlighted Trump's "enthusiasm" for enhancing American jobs and industries, as well as strengthening the U.S. economy. "These actions are part of our commitment to invest in our U.S. operations to grow our auto production and manufacturing here," Filosa stated in his letter to employees.
The United Auto Workers union president, Shawn Fain, hailed the decision as a victory for labor solidarity, asserting, "This victory is a testament to the power of workers standing together and holding a billion-dollar corporation accountable. Weve shown that we will do what it takes to protect the good union jobs that are the lifeblood of places like Belvidere, Detroit, Kokomo and beyond."
Stellantis, which also owns Fiat, Dodge, Ram, and Peugeot, had previously halted operations at the Illinois plant in early 2023. Although a reopening was initially slated for 2024, it was postponed due to declining profits. Besides the Durango, the company plans to manufacture a medium-size pickup truck at the Belvidere facility. Additionally, Stellantis is channeling investments into its Toledo, Ohio, and Kokomo, Indiana plants, where the iconic Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator models are produced.
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