Stellantis pauses Belvidere Assembly operations with mass layoffs at Illinois plant

Stellantis idled its Belvidere Assembly Plant in Belvidere, Illinois, and laid off about 1,500 hourly workers as operations were paused in mid-February 2023. The layoffs stemmed from production stoppages tied to the company’s decision to end Jeep Cherokee production at the facility and broader manufacturing adjustments, leaving the future of the plant and many workers uncertain. Officials and union representatives reported delays in restarting production and difficulties finding alternative work for affected employees, while some workers awaited potential recall or severance details. The shutdown and staff reductions reflect Stellantis’s restructuring of its U.S. plant footprint and model allocations amid shifting demand and strategic changes.

LayoffTalk has tracked 10 layoff events at Stellantis since February 2023, with 10 additional events known from news reporting.