Stellantis: Fiat Firefly (GSE) and V6 engine plant already planning a week-long shutdown

The plant Stellantis in Termoli, Italy, is going through another difficult period. After several months of uncertainty and production slowdowns, the plant specializing in internal combustion engines, in particular Firefly (GSE) and V6 engines, is already planning a week-long break. According to information relayed by the local media TermolionlineA week-long shutdown is scheduled from February 17 to 23, 2025, with a request for a temporary suspension of activities with a reduction in salary for the employees concerned.

A plant already idling

Production of Firefly combustion engines (GSE), which power models such as the Fiat Panda and Alfa Romeo Tonale, has already been hit hard by a drop in orders. Since the beginning of the year, the plant has been operating at a reduced pace, from three to two working days a week. This reduction in production echoes the automotive sector's energy transition, a painful passage for some production sites, including Termoli.

A difficult energy transition

The future of the Termoli plant remains uncertain. Initially, a project to convert the plant into a Gigafactory of batteries for electric vehicles had been announced, but this was suspended, leaving the unions waiting for concrete answers on the future of the site. Marco Laviano, secretary of the Fim-Cisl Abruzzo-MoliseWe want Stellantis to call us together and give us a clear vision of Termoli's future". In the meantime, "the exhausting wait continues", he stresses.

The announcement of the coming week's shutdown is yet another indicator of the slowdown in production. Staff working on the GSE and V6 engines will have to prepare for a further pause, which could weigh heavily on their daily lives. Pending further information on the Gigafactory project with ACC, Tonale restyling in summer 2025 and the Fiat 500 hybrid, whose production will start in November 2025 at Mirafioricould provide a breath of fresh air for Stellantis and restore some dynamism to Termoli's production.