The historic Stellantis plant in Belvidere, Illinois, has been designated for the production of the company’s new mid-size pickup truck. This news marks an important turning point for the production site and the local economy, with the return of approximately 1,500 jobs. U.S. Senate Democratic Majority Leader Dick Durbin and Senator Tammy Duckworth confirmed the news, highlighting how Stellantis is launching a vast modernization plan for its U.S. facilities.
Stellantis will keep its promise to reopen the Belvidere plant
The company will invest $1.2 billion in the Stellantis Belvidere site, a decisive step for revitalizing automotive production in the region. “Stellantis’ commitment to its plants, and particularly to Belvidere, represents extraordinary news,” the senators declared in a joint statement. “Thanks to the support of the UAW union, the U.S. automotive sector is accelerating toward a more sustainable future marked by clean mobility.”
The Belvidere plant had indefinitely halted production in February 2023, leaving over 1,000 workers unemployed. However, after months of negotiations, in late October, Stellantis and the UAW union reached an agreement to reopen the production site in 2027. The Biden administration then announced economic support of $330 million to facilitate the site’s transition to electric vehicle production, thus consolidating the revival plan.
Illinois Governor Pritzker also expressed satisfaction with the agreement reached. “My administration has worked tirelessly with the partners involved to secure this investment, and today we celebrate an important milestone,” Pritzker stated. “We know the work isn’t finished yet, but this is a fundamental step to ensure new economic opportunities for workers, businesses, and communities in Illinois.”
The company’s commitment doesn’t stop at Belvidere. Stellantis has also announced the production of the new generation Dodge Durango at its Detroit plant and a significant investment in Kokomo for Phase II of the GME-T4 EVO engine. According to the UAW, Stellantis had initially planned to outsource the engine production abroad, but thanks to union negotiations, the project will remain in the United States, safeguarding jobs and strengthening the national manufacturing sector.