Stellantis to idle Belvidere assembly plant

Stellantis, formed in 2021 with the merger of Fiat Chrysler and France’s PSA Peugeot, has announced plans to halt production at its Jeep Cherokee assembly plant in Belvidere, Ill., effective Feb. 28, 2023. According to the company, the production idle is in response to challenges associated with the electric vehicle market, the coronavirus pandemic, and the global microchip shortage.

“This difficult but necessary action will result in indefinite layoffs, which are expected to exceed six months,” the automaker said. The closure affects 1,350 employees.

Stellantis spokeswoman Jodi Tinson said in a statement that the automaker is “working to identify other opportunities to repurpose the Belvidere facility."