Sterling Stamping Turns 60

This fall, Stellantis’ Sterling Stamping Plant (SSP) is celebrating a major milestone—60 years of stamping out some of the most critical parts for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep®, and Ram vehicles. To honor the achievement, the city of Sterling Heights presented the plant with an official resolution during its September 15th city council meeting, recognizing its six decades of manufacturing leadership and its role as a cornerstone of the community.

Greg “Butch” Bauer, SSP’s Plant Manager, accepted the resolution on behalf of the more than 1,500 United Auto Workers (UAW)-represented employees who keep the massive facility running. “Sterling Stamping’s success is rooted in the people who make it all possible,” Bauer said. “Family Day gave us the opportunity to celebrate their dedication, as well as the families who support them. This anniversary is not only about honoring our past, but about building momentum for the future.”

A Plant With Muscle – 

Sterling Stamping is no ordinary factory. Opened in 1965, it quickly grew into one of the largest stamping plants in the world. Today, it spans 2.74 million square feet—about the size of 48 football fields—on 254 acres of land. Inside, 26 massive stamping press lines pound out steel and aluminum with capacities ranging from 400 tons to 4,000 tons.

At full strength, the facility can push through 480,000 tons of steel and 14,000 tons of aluminum every year. To support that effort, the plant has storage tanks capable of holding 900,000 gallons of water, steam capacity of 300,000 pounds per hour, and compressed air capacity of 25,000 cubic feet per minute. Simply put—it’s an industrial powerhouse.

The Parts That Power Our Cars – 

Every day, Sterling Stamping produces the sheet metal parts that shape some of Stellantis’ most recognizable vehicles. Hoods, roofs, liftgates, side apertures, fenders, and floor pans roll out of the plant and get shipped across North America.

The work done in Sterling Heights supports production of vehicles like the Dodge Durango, Chrysler Pacifica and Voyager (in the U.S.), Chrysler Grand Caravan (in Canada), Jeep Grand Cherokee, and the Ram 1500. The plant also exports to Mexico and Venezuela, making its reach truly international.

Honored By The City – 

The city council resolution praised the plant not only for its production, but also for its longstanding partnership with the community. The resolution read, in part:

“The Sterling Heights city council congratulates Stellantis and the Sterling Stamping Plant on its 60th anniversary, commends the plant’s record of innovation, investment and community partnership, and expresses its sincere appreciation for the dedication of its leadership and workforce.”

That recognition highlights the plant’s economic impact and the generations of families who have worked there. Many employees can trace their family connections back decades, as parents and children have both built careers inside SSP’s walls.

Family Day Brings People Together – 

The milestone wasn’t just celebrated with speeches and plaques. On August 29, the plant hosted a Family Day event that brought more than 1,700 employees, retirees, and family members to the grounds.

The celebration included live music, arcade games, miniature golf, and even a caricature artist. Stellantis senior leadership joined in on the festivities, taking time to thank employees and retirees for their contributions to the company’s success.

For Bauer, it was an important chance to recognize the people behind the press lines. “Family Day gave us the opportunity to celebrate their dedication, as well as the families who support them,” he explained.

Union Pride – 

The plant’s workforce is represented by UAW Locals 1264, 889, and 412. Over the years, those locals have played a big role in supporting fair labor practices while helping the plant adapt to new technologies and product demands. That union backbone has kept the facility strong and competitive in a constantly changing automotive landscape.

With the auto industry shifting toward electrification and new multi-energy platforms, Sterling Stamping’s role will only grow in importance. Its legacy of durability, innovation, and community engagement has set the stage for another 60 years of leadership.