Stellantis has announced that production at the Detroit Assembly Complex Jefferson (DACJ) will be halted from October 28 to November 1, 2024. This temporary shutdown follows news regarding layoffs where hundreds of workers were dismissed on October 1. Production of the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango will resume on November 4, 2024.
Stellantis halts production for several days at DACJ plant
The layoffs announced by Stellantis included 142 supplemental workers and 69 full-time employees at the Jefferson location. As for the Mack plant, which produces only the Jeep Grand Cherokee, layoffs affected 170 supplemental workers and 36 full-time employees.
The local union stated that these layoffs were part of a broader Stellantis strategy aimed at improving operational efficiency. The layoffs are “indefinite,” meaning affected workers will not be rehired in the future.
Market trends are the main reason why production at the DACJ plant has been temporarily suspended. Slow sales and excessive inventory levels are forcing Stellantis to use this strategy to optimize costs.
Jeep has recently launched the new 2025 Grand Cherokee, which is now being offered at a lower price compared to the previous model. As for the 2025 Dodge Durango, this marks the last model that will have the HEMI engine under the hood. In 2026, a new generation of the SUV is planned, which will have both combustion engine versions and fully electric versions. The latter is expected to be named Stealth.
These production stops could become the “new normal,” as Stellantis intends to improve operations in the U.S. market. Last September, Ann Marie Fortunate, Stellantis spokesperson, had stated: “Stellantis continues to take necessary actions to improve operations in the U.S. market, which includes making production adjustments at the Detroit Assembly Complex – Jefferson for general assembly only. Other operations at the facility will continue as scheduled to support production at Mack Assembly.”