Staff Report

BELVIDERE, Ill. – The Belvidere Assembly Plant will re-open June 1, a FCA Group spokesman said Wednesday, May 6.

“This plan has been developed following continuous discussions with the unions – the UAW, Unifor and Section 23 CTM – as well as local governments,” Jodi Tinson, of FCA said. The status of production at FCA’s Mexico plants will be the subject of a separate announcement.”

The Belvidere Chrysler assembly facility has been closed for several week, in part because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tinson said several new coronavirus safety measures will be in place when the plant opens. The facility currently serves as an assembly hub for the Jeep Cherokee.

Since 1979, more than a dozen lines of Chrysler vehicles have been assembled in Belvidere. They are the Simca-Talbot Horizon/Chrysler Horizon (1979-1988), Dodge Omni/Plymouth Horizon (1978-1990), Dodge Charger (L-body) (1982-1987), Chrysler New Yorker (1988-1993), Dodge Dynasty (1988-1993), Chrysler Imperial (1990-1993), Chrysler New Yorker Fifth Avenue (1990-1993), Plymouth Neon (1994-2001), Dodge Neon (1994-2005), Dodge Caliber (2007-2012), Dodge Dart (2013–2016), Jeep Compass (2007–2016), Jeep Patriot (2007–2016), and the Jeep Cherokee (2017–Present).