UAW Local Questions If Ram Midsize Pickup Will Come To Belvidere

The future of Stellantis’ Belvidere Assembly Plant remains clouded in uncertainty, with UAW Local 1268 leadership now questioning whether the long-rumored Ram midsize pickup will actually be built there.

In an update shared this week, Local 1268 President Matt Frantzen told members that while repairs and small renovations are underway at the shuttered facility, there’s still no definitive word from Stellantis on the product Belvidere will receive. According to WIFR, those improvements include roof work, door replacements, and a $240,000 budget earmarked for restroom floor upgrades—though that project is on hold as the future layout of the plant is still unclear.

“It does not appear Belvidere will be producing a midsize pickup truck,” Frantzen told members. “That’s not to say it won’t happen—but we’ve yet to be given anything official.”

He added that Stellantis could make an announcement “as early as next month.”

Recall Plans Underway – 

Frantzen confirmed that 960 members are currently on the list to be recalled once Belvidere resumes operations. Back in July, he sent a letter to autoworkers outlining Stellantis’ rehiring process.

Belvidere was idled indefinitely in February 2023, and in January Stellantis stated in the 2023 UAW-Stellantis collective bargaining agreement that the facility would reopen in 2027 with midsize pickup production.

When WIFR reached out for comment, Stellantis responded with the following statement:

“Stellantis confirmed in January its intention to reopen the Belvidere Assembly Plant for production of a mid-size truck. As a matter of company policy, we do not comment on rumor or speculation.”

What Our Sources Are Saying – 

Despite that official line, MoparInsiders’ own well-placed sources tell us that plans for Belvidere to house the Ram midsize truck have been in question. The issue centers on the plant’s long history as a unibody facility. Retooling it for body-on-frame (BoF) production would be expensive and would not solve Stellantis’ broader challenge of underutilized BoF capacity elsewhere.

According to those sources, Stellantis has considered moving the Ram midsize to the south side of the Toledo Assembly Complex. That part of the plant currently builds the Jeep® Gladiator, another midsize pickup. With the Gladiator rumored to share some key underpinnings with the new Ram truck, combining production could streamline costs and keep the Toledo facility humming at stronger volumes. Gladiator sales have been slower than Jeep hoped, so a Ram companion truck could help support suppliers and stabilize employment at the plant.

What Could Be Coming To Belvidere – 

If Belvidere doesn’t land the Ram midsize, that doesn’t mean it’s left out of Stellantis’ future. Our sources suggest Chrysler could take the lead role at Belvidere with new unibody products.

The first candidate is a new D-segment crossover, codenamed “C6X,” expected to debut next year. If assigned to Belvidere, it would mark the first U.S.-built Chrysler since the discontinuation of the Chrysler 200 back in December 2016. Chrysler CEO Chris Feuell has also hinted that a new Chrysler sedan is on the way within the next few years, another fit for Belvidere’s unibody production strengths.

Looking Ahead – 

For now, Local 1268 members remain in limbo. The union is pushing for clarity, while Stellantis sticks to its scripted response.

Frantzen put it plainly:

“We’re all waiting for clarity. Until Stellantis tells us officially, we won’t know. But I can tell you, our members are ready to get back to work the day the doors open.”

Whether Belvidere becomes home to Ram’s midsize pickup or something else, the next announcement from Stellantis will determine the plant’s path forward—and with it, the livelihood of nearly a thousand union members waiting for the call back.

Source: WIFR