Stellantis Will Cut Shifts From Grand Cherokee & Durango Plant:

Employees at the Jefferson North Assembly Plant (JNAP) in Detroit, Michigan are facing temporary layoffs due to the ongoing shortage of semiconductor chips. The plant currently is home to the updated 2021 Dodge Durango (WD) and the popular 2021 Jeep® Grand Cherokee (WK2). Stellantis management confirmed the decision yesterday, which will continue through the rest of April to the end of May.

Currently, the JNAP plant works with three crews working 10-hour shifts six days a week. Starting Monday (April 26th), there will be only one crew working for the next three weeks. That shift will then be laid off then laid off from Monday, May 17th until Monday, May 31st, while the other two shifts return to work during that time frame, according to Bloomberg.

The news comes as the Dodge//SRT brand announced its intentions to extend production of it’s one-year limited run of the 710 horsepower 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat, in order to meet all pre-order demands. The plant also is slowing down the production of its popular Jeep Grand Cherokee model, as it gets ready to be replaced by the new two-row fifth-generation Grand Cherokee (WL) this fall. 

“Stellantis continues to work closely with our suppliers to mitigate the manufacturing impacts caused by the various supply chain issues facing our industry,” Jodi Tinson, Communications for Manufacturing and Labor for Stellantis said in a statement. “Due to the unprecedented global microchip shortage, Jefferson North will adjust its production schedule through the end of May.”