BELVIDERE (WTVO) — Stellantis is committing more than $600 million to revive its shuttered Illinois assembly plant, a move that could restore up to 3,300 jobs and breathe new life into a community still reeling from the 2023 closure. With production of the Jeep Compass and a redesigned Cherokee on the horizon, Belvidere isn’t just getting its plant back—it’s reclaiming its place on the automotive map.
"In Belvidere, we lost a significant amount of jobs we had at one time, 4,000 employees at Stellantis," said Belvidere Mayor Clinton Morris. "And then when you take into account the 2,800 supplier jobs that were lost, it’s a big deal."
Matt Frantzen, president of United Auto Workers Local 1268, noted the challenges faced by laid-off workers, saying, "The people that are here laid off, they