Stellantis Lays Off About 1,100 Jeep Assembly Workers

Stellantis, parent company of Dodge, Ram, Jeep, and other brands, says it’s eliminating its second shift at the Toledo South Assembly Plant. As a result, about 1,100 assembly workers will be laid off early next year. This is yet another sign that the multinational auto giant is in serious trouble.

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What’s also concerning is to learn those assembly workers had been putting together Jeep Gladiators. Demand for the off-road pickup has plummeted, turning what was once a hot product into a bit of an industry dog.

As WTOL says, Stellantis is calling this an “indefinite layoff” meaning it could recall the assembly line workers at a later time. It’s possible another truck-based product line similar to the Gladiator would be added in the near future, increasing production at the factory again.

But things have been looking grim for Stellantis for some time, and it seems like things are getting worse. Sales and profits are down. Consumer seem to be turning their noses up at what Stellantis is offering, turning industry darling brands Dodge, Ram, and Jeep into stinkers.

At the same time, competitors have targeted customers who are disenchanted with those brands as vehicles have piled up at dealerships. Some dealers have even taken to hiding extra inventory in parking garages or secure facilities.

There has to be some serious talk within the halls of Stellantis headquarters in Hoofddorp, Netherlands. Sadly, we doubt leadership in the company truly understands what American consumers want. But they have to understand that if they want to survive, let alone thrive.

After all, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram are the company’s cash cows. Yet moves made since Stellantis was created, some of them put in motion by Fiat Chrysler, indicate leadership doesn’t get what American consumers want. And that has left many calling for the company to sell those brands to an American investment group which could manage them properly.

We’ll see what 2025 brings for the company because a course correction is obviously necessary.

Image via Stellantis

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