Stellantis plans to manufacture more RAM trucks in Mexico

SALTILLO, COAH - Chrysler parent Stellantis is expanding its manufacturing complex in northern Mexico to build Ram 1500 pickup trucks, the Wall Street Journal reported. Stellantis has been building additional factory space next to its existing plant in Saltillo, Mexico, the report said Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

Two buildings about a half-kilometer long have been built in recent months, according to satellite images reviewed by the newspaper. Stellantis said it has been making other variants of Ram pickups in Mexico and that no other announcements about Ram 1500 production have been made.

The French-Italian automaker said in a statement that it recently unveiled plans to invest more than US$235 million in the Sterling Heights assembly plant in Michigan to build future electric versions of the pickup. Stellantis will continue to make Ram pickups at its Michigan plant, it said.

It is unclear whether the planned factory space in Saltillo would be used to make battery- or gasoline-powered versions of Ram pickups, the WSJ said.

The report on the Mexico plans comes at a time when the United Auto Workers union is preparing multiple strikes in the United States against Stellantis, alleging that it has failed to honor commitments it made in the contract signed last year following a six-week strike that cost it some 750 million euros (US$816.90 million) in profits.

In August, Stellantis announced plans to lay off up to 2,450 workers at its Warren truck assembly plant outside Detroit after ending production of the Ram 1500 Classic pickup truck.