Stellantis has revealed plans to temporarily cease production at its manufacturing sites in Poissy, France, and Pomigliano, Italy.
The decision comes in response to the current dip in European market demand, with the shutdowns expected to last for up to three weeks from the end of September, reported Reuters.
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The Pomigliano facility, which produces the Fiat Panda and the Alfa Romeo Tonale, will halt its assembly lines from 29 September to 6 October for the Panda, and until 10 October for the Tonale.
As a result of this production interruption, the plant’s 3,800 staff members will enter a furlough period.
The production pause for the Fiat Panda was also attributed to the normal reduction in fleet and rental orders towards the year’s end, necessitating adjustments at the plant.
Stellantis said: “In this context, Stellantis has chosen a cautious and responsible approach, suspending production at the Pomigliano plant for a limited period.”
The news follows an earlier announcement from a Stellantis representative, who confirmed the production pause at the Poissy plant from 13 to 31 October.
Employing 2,000 staff, the Poissy plant is responsible for the DS3 and Opel Mokka small sport utility vehicles (SUVs).
“The plant will strive to manage its stocks as effectively as possible before the end of the year and take the opportunity to carry out work and schedule training courses,” the representative was quoted by the news agency as saying.
Citing industry figures, the report said that European car registrations had plateaued, with roughly 7.9 million units recorded in the January-July period, mirroring the numbers from the previous year.
In contrast, Stellantis has experienced an 8% drop in brand registrations, down to 1.19 million units within the same timeframe.
The company has also acknowledged that the Alfa Romeo Tonale has faced challenges due to US tariffs, which have impacted orders.
Previously, Stellantis announced a similar production suspension for the electric Fiat 500 at its Mirafiori facility in Turin, Italy.
