UAW: Stellantis delays Belvidere reopen again, now 2028

Stellantis’ long-idled Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois faces yet another delay, with production now expected to recommence around June 2028 rather than 2027, according to a local United Auto Workers (UAW) chapter leader. Local 1268 President Matt Franzen said he first learned of the postponement through leaked corporate documents and discussions between senior UAW leadership and Stellantis executives, and expressed frustration at relying on unofficial channels for critical information about the facility’s future.

In a statement to Detroit Free Press, Stellantis spokesperson Jodi Tinson said of Belvedere that the automaker’s “plan of record has not changed”, and pointed towards October announcements indicating an initial production launch expected in 2027 that would create approximately 3,300 jobs. However, Franzen said UAW Vice President Rich Boyer—who leads the union’s Stellantis Department—confirmed the delay after speaking with the corporation. 

The postponement, if true, would push the return to production beyond the 30 April 2028 contract expiration. This has raised concerns among local union leadership about whether the facility could again become a bargaining chip in upcoming negotiations.

The Belvidere plant has endured repeated setbacks since its initial production halt in February 2023, when Stellantis discontinued the Jeep Cherokee. During 2023 contract negotiations, the union successfully bargained for the facility to receive Ram’s forthcoming midsize Dakota pickup with a 2025 reopening target, but Stellantis subsequently pushed the truck’s launch to 2027. 

Now three years removed from the original closure, the state of play for the plant remains somewhat unclear. Under October’s reshuffled production plans, the Dakota was moved to the Toledo Assembly Complex whilst Belvidere received the Jeep Compass and revived Cherokee—both previously manufactured outside the US. This was part of a wider effort by Stellantis to placate the Trump administration’s policy goal of boosting local manufacturing.

The production reassignment generated pushback in Canada as the Compass was previously produced at Stellantis’ Brampton, Ontario plant under a Unifor contract agreement. Meanwhile, the Cherokee currently rolls off lines in Toluca, Mexico; this will continue albeit targeting non-US markets. 

As for Belvidere, Frantzen noted that some “small steps” had been taken, including hiring human resources representatives, but the promised remodelling and retooling work has yet to actually commence. This leaves thousands of workers either laid off or relocated workers awaiting a firm timeline for the plan to reopen. 

Stellantis announced in October 2025 it would invest US$13bn over four years to expand its US manufacturing footprint by 50%, the largest single commitment in the automaker’s century-long US history. The package includes more than US$600m specifically allocated to Belvidere’s reopening for Cherokee and Compass production, with additional investments spanning Toledo, Warren Truck, the Detroit Assembly Complex and Kokomo facilities. Canada threatened Stellantis with legal action shortly after the announcement, and subsequently cut the automaker’s tariff exemptions