AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT PLASTIC OMNIUM

Île-de-France, France-based Plastic Omnium, a French manufacturer of plastic exterior body parts for vehicles, has announced a reduction-in-force at their Anderson, South Carolina facility resulting in the layoff of 350 employee, leaving approximately 175 employees.

80 employees will be eligible to transfer to the company’s facility located fifty miles away in Greer, South Carolina where the company produces large exterior painted body parts for the nearby BMW plant.

The 60-acre Anderson facility was built in 1994, but appears to lack space to expand operations which is not the case at the Greer facility.

Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life, or promises for a bright future. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere ... are you now wondering, Am I Next?

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT STELLANTIS / FIAT CHRYSLER (11/09/2024)

NOVEMBER 9, 2024 — 400 EMPLOYEES TO BE OUTSOURCED IN DETROIT, MICHIGAN, 1,100 EMPLOYEES IN TOLEDO, OHIO

The company plans to lay off 400 employees at its Detroit, Michigan, material logistics facility as early as January 5, 2025. 

According to a company spokesperson, "As Stellantis navigates a transitional year, the focus is on realigning its U.S. operations to ensure a strong start to 2025. To improve the competitiveness of the operation, the Company will transition the Freud Street sequencing facility to a third-party service provider, which will result in indefinite layoffs of approximately 400 represented employees."

Additionally, 1,100 employees will be laid off at the Stellantis Jeep factory in Toledo, Ohio, commencing on January 2025. According to the company, “These are difficult actions to take, but they are necessary to enable the company to regain its competitive edge and eventually return production to prior levels.”

AUGUST 10, 2024 — CLASSIC RAM PRODUCTION ENDS WITH 2,450 LAYOFFSIN WARREN, MICHIGAN

The company has announced it will lay off as many as 2,450 factory workers from its Warren Truck assembly plant in Warren, Michigan, where, production of the Ram 1500 Classic truck ends effective as early as October 8, 2024, as the plant moves from a two-shift to a one-shift operating pattern in general assembly.

JUNE 23, 2024 —MAJOR CUTS AHEAD IN AUBURN HILLS, MICHIGAN, AND ELSEWHERE

Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares unveiled a 30% cost-cutting strategy aimed at bolstering the company's competitiveness against Chinese automakers. The move is expected to result in considerable job losses, particularly at the Auburn Hills, MI, office tower.

The potential sale of the Auburn Hills headquarters building looms as Stellantis reduces its need for extensive office space.

“This means outsourcing engineering to the lowest-cost countries like Turkey and Morocco, which means the old headquarters building is likely headed the way of the Renaissance Center. We have at least two plants that need a significant turnaround, at least two.”

MARCH 23, 2024 — 400 ENGINEERING, TECHNOLOGY, AND SOFTWARE EMPLOYEES TARGETED

Continuing with Stellantis’ “Dare Forward 2030” strategic plan that aims to increase profits, the company has targeted 400 salaried employees for layoffs commencing on March 31, 2024.

A company statement notes, “As the auto industry continues to face unprecedented uncertainties and heightened competitive pressures around the world, Stellantis continues to make the appropriate structural decisions across the enterprise to improve efficiency and optimize our cost structure. While we understand this is difficult news, these actions will better align resources while preserving the critical skills needed to protect our competitive advantage as we remain laser-focused on implementing our EV product offensive and our Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan.”

JANUARY 15, 2024 — 539 EMPLOYEES GONE

Effective immediately the company has announced that 539 supplemental employees across its U.S. manufacturing footprint are being "permanently separated" from the company following an evaluation of operations.

According to a company spokesperson, "As part of our normal course of business, Stellantis regularly analyzes staffing levels at our manufacturing facilities to ensure they are operating as efficiently as possible. This action will help improve the efficiency, productivity, and market competitiveness of our facilities as we implement our Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan."

DECEMBER 10, 2022 — IDLING JEEP PLANT

The company has announced that Belvidere Assembly Plant, which produces the Jeep Cherokee SUV, will cease production as of February 28, 2023, and more than 1,200 workers will be placed on indefinite layoffs.

According to a company spokesperson, “Our industry has been adversely affected by a multitude of factors like the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the global microchip shortage, but the most impactful challenge is the increasing cost related to the electrification of the automotive market. This difficult but necessary action will result in indefinite layoffs, which are expected to exceed six months. The pause will allow the company to consider other avenues to optimize operations. The company is working to identify other opportunities to repurpose the Belvidere facility and has no additional details to share at this time."

https://www.bizzbuzz.news/industry/auto/stellantis-to-shut-jeep-plant-in-us-lay-off-1200-in-ev-era-1184568

MARCH 28, 2022 — UNKNOWN NUMBER OF LAYOFFS AND RETIREMENTS IN BELVIDERE, ILLINOIS

The company announced that it would be laying off more employees at its Belvidere Assembly Plant beginning in May in order to allow the plant to operate in “a more sustainable manner.”

The decision appears to be driven by the declining sales of its Jeep Cherokee model. Speculation among auto industry analysts suggests that the Belvidere may be retooled to produce electric versions of the Dodge Challenger and Charger sports cars.

“The reductions will be achieved through a combination of retirement packages offered to eligible UAW-represented employees as well as layoffs of both hourly and salaried staff.” The layoffs could begin as early as May 27th, with retirements to take effect on May 31st, 2022

NOVEMBER 17, 2021 — 200 LAYOFFS IN TIPTON, INDIANA

The company has announced that it is laying off a 200-person crew at its Tipton Transmission Plant in Tipton, Indiana. The decision was driven by decreased production which the company is attributing to the global microchip shortage.

NOVEMBER 11, 2021 — 400 LAYOFFS IN BELVIDERE, ILLINOIS PLANT STARTING JANUARY 22, 2022

According to a company spokesperson, “As we continue to balance global sales with the production of the Jeep Cherokee produced at the Belvidere Assembly Plant, which has been further exacerbated by the unprecedented global microchip shortage, Stellantis has determined that additional staffing actions are needed as a result of changes in the plant’s operations. The company sent WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining

The workforce reduction will take effect as early as January 14, 2022.

FEBRUARY 25, 2021— AMERICAN INDIAN UPRISING?

Cherokee Nation Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr. has directly asked Jeep to stop using the 45-year-old Cherokee name for the company’s iconic vehicles.

"I'm sure this comes from a place that is well-intended, but it does not honor us by having our name plastered on the side of a car. The best way to honor us is to learn about our sovereign government, our role in this country, our history, culture, and language, and have meaningful dialogue with federally recognized tribes on cultural appropriateness.”

I am not sure that the request is not an activist licensing ploy or a sincere desire to “honor” Native Americans. It seems that the best way to inform the public is to incorporate appropriate historical information in publications and commercials.

Will the Cherokee be today’s Pontiac?

FEBRUARY 24, 2021 — 150 LAYOFFS AT BELVEDERE, ILLINOIS ASSEMBLY PLANT

The company has announced the layoff of 150 employees on the Belvidere, Illinois Assembly Plant where the Jeep Cherokee SUV is produced.

According to a company spokesperson, "The Stellantis plant in Belvidere, Illinois, is rebalancing its staffing levels as it realigns production to meet global demand for the Jeep Cherokee. Following a review of its operations, 150 people will be indefinitely laid off, starting Feb. 20, 2021. The company will make every effort to place indefinitely laid-off hourly employees in open full-time positions as they become available based on seniority."

JANUARY 4, 2021 — MAJOR CHANGES AND LAYOFFS ARE ON THE HORIZON. FCA AND PSA COMBINE

Fiat Chrysler (FCA) and PSA are merging to create the world’s fourth-largest automaker named Stellantis,

Stellantis will have 14 brands, from FCA’s Fiat, Maserati, and U.S.-focused Jeep, Dodge, and Ram to PSA’s traditionally Europe-focused Peugeot, Citroen, Opel, and DS.

FCA CEO Mike Manley noted, “40% of the expected synergies from the merger will come from the convergence of platforms and powertrains and from optimizing R&D investments.”

“35% of synergies would be driven by savings on purchases, while another 7% would come from savings on sales operations and general expenses.”

“The remainder of the synergies are expected from the optimization of other functions including logistics, supply chain, quality, and after-market operations, he added.”

While the new company claimed they wouldn’t close any plants, they said nothing about reorganization and adjusting personnel and production to market demand.

JANUARY 30, 2020 — VOLUNTARY SEPARATION OFFERS TO 3,900 UNION EMPLOYEES

The company has offered “voluntary separation package”s to 3,900 full time, hourly workers at the company’s Belvidere Assembly Plant.

Beginning on February 17, 2020, the plant will halt production for one week, which follows a two-week halt in production in January 2020.

A company spokesperson claims that all of the company’s current actions of the company are to “realign production with demand.”

Employees with 25 years of seniority have been offered a maximum sum of $72,000, distributed over 29 months, and employees with less time with the company have been a proportionately-scaled deal.

Employees have been given until March 11, 2020, to accept the offer or be vulnerable to mandatory permanent layoffs.

MARCH 4, 2019 — Original post…

London, United Kingdom-based Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, the world’s eighth-largest automaker, has announced that it will be laying off 1,371 employees as it eliminates one out of three shifts at its Belvidere, Illinois Assembly Plant Assembly Plant. The plant assembles Jeep Cherokees including the Latitude, Latitude Plus, Limited, Trailhawk and Overland models. According to a company spokesperson, the decision was driven by globally slowing consumer demand for the current Jeep Cherokee.

Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere ... are you now wondering, Am I Next?

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT CONSENSYS (10/29/24)

OCTOBER 29, 2024 — 160 EMPLOYEES

The company has announced a 20% reduction in force company-wide, or 160 employees.

According to Founder and CEO Joe Lubin,

“The broader macroeconomic conditions over the past year and ongoing regulatory uncertainty have created broad challenges for our industry, especially for US-based companies.

Even in the face of these challenges, our ecosystem is on the precipice of becoming a globally systemically defining force, with web3-native companies making great strides and more traditional companies leaning into web3.

To stay competitive, we need to reshape ourselves to be more agile, more effective, and even higher-performing.

Today, we are making the tough but prudent decision to streamline our operations to position Consensys for ongoing rapid innovation, long-term sustainability under possibly volatile scenarios, and continued leadership in the web3 space.

This decision impacts 20% of Consensys’ total workforce. We are deeply grateful for their contributions in getting Consensys to where it is today, and we are committed to providing all affected employees with substantial support as they move on to their next chapter.

Since its inception, Consensys has been dedicated to supporting the vision and mission of the Ethereum project and, beyond that, driving progressively towards rigorous decentralization. In the coming weeks, we’ll be making concrete announcements that demonstrate our commitment.”

DECEMBER 27, 2018 — Original post…

New York City, New York-based ConsenSys, a blockchain-associated technology incubator and technology company, has announced a major restructuring that will result in a significant reduction in headcount and the spin-off of companies that received ConsenSys financial support.

The number of employees impacted is estimated to be in the hundreds with the possibility of up to a sixty percent of its 1,200 employees being affected. The company has suggested that the restructuring is the result of major competition in the blockchain space and the company’s desire to exit the incubator business, known as ConsenSys Labs, in favor of being a more traditional venture capital investor. The leadership and employees of the approximately fifty projects being funded by ConsenSys would need additional financial support, and lacking this support would mean having to radically downsize or close down their projects.

The company was intimately involved with the Ethereum crypto-currency and looked to gains in the Ethereum units to continue funding the enterprise. ConsenSys was primarily funded by its founder who was said to have a crypto-based fortune in the low billions. When the price of ETH tokens falling from $1,417.38 to $102.44, ConsenSys could not longer afford to fund its projects with an estimated burn rate of $100 million per year. Hence the spin off of the projects.

While most people think of blockchain as the technology behind crypto-currencies, which appear to be collapsing or fluctuating in wild swings, the technology can be applied to most systems that require a record of secure transactions that are available to all without a central server and control mechanism. However, most companies prefer to serve as the keepers of a a well-controlled proprietary platform rather than a free-form enterprise piggybacking on a public system.

Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something terrible hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. While many employees can read the writing on the wall, why do most assume it’s targeted at someone else? Are you now wondering, Am I Next?