DETROIT (WWJ) — Stellantis is moving forward with plans to build the next generation Dodge Durango at the Detroit Assembly Complex on the city’s east side, a company executive told employees on Wednesday.
The United Auto Workers had been concerned that production of the Durango would be moving from that facility to Windsor, Ontario, according to WWJ AutoBeat Reporter Jeff Gillbert.
The announcement, along with investments at several other plants in the Midwest, “essentially erase a number of cutbacks that were announced by former CEO Carlos Tavares,” Gilbert said.
The plans to continue producing the Durango in Detroit were one of four actions that are “part of our commitment to invest in our U.S. operations to grow our auto production and manufacturing here,” according to a letter to employees from Stellantis’ North American COO Antonio Filosa.
Filosa said Stellantis Chairman John Elkann met with President Donald Trump before Monday’s inauguration to “share our enthusiasm for his strong commitment to the United States auto industry and all that this means for American jobs and the broader economy.”
Elkann told Trump Stellantis plans to strengthen its US manufacturing footprint and provide stability for its American workforce.
Those plans — focused on increasing market share and growing sales volume — entail a multi-billion-dollar investment.
Aside from keeping the Durango in Detroit, Filosa also said a new mid-size pickup truck will be produced at the plant in Belvidere, Illinois, bringing back about 1,500 UAW employees to the plant.
Stellantis will also invest in Toledo, Ohio, including “additional technologies and strong product actions for Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Gladiator in our Toledo Assembly Complex, and more components critical to our production in our Toledo Machining Plant.”
Lastly, Stellantis also will make additional investments at its facilities in Kokomo, Indiana, to produce the GMET4 EVO engine, “ensuring that the U.S. will be the manufacturing home of this strategic powertrain.”
“We have shared with the UAW all these actions and our desire to work together to strengthen our great company,” Filosa said.
The investment announcements come months after the UAW threatened to strike the company nationwide, claiming Stellantis was reneging on promises made in the 2023 contract.