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STERLING HEIGHTS — The city of Sterling Heights recently put together a tribute for one of its premier industrial factories that is celebrating its big four-oh.
During a Sept. 17 meeting, the Sterling Heights City Council unanimously voted to approve a resolution “recognizing and congratulating Stellantis” while commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Sterling Heights Assembly Plant.
At the meeting, City manager Mark Vanderpool praised Stellantis for its role in “creating an excellent quality of life for residents in Sterling Heights.”
Vanderpool said the SHAP facility, before Chrysler took it over in 1984, originally started out in 1953 as a U.S. Army-operated jet engine plant. He said SHAP evolved to become a major U.S. auto manufacturing hub, producing 11 vehicle models under five brands.
Although SHAP at one point — in the wake of the Great Recession — was in danger of possible permanent closure in 2010, it has since prevailed, the city manager explained. More recently, an estimated $1.5 billion investment into the plant, announced in 2016, helped equip it to make Ram 1500 pickup trucks, he added.
“Just this month, Stellantis announced an additional investment of over $235 million to prepare for the production of the first-ever electric Ram pickup,” he said. “These investments not only solidify SHAP’s importance to Stellantis’ North American operations, but also reaffirm its commitment to the Sterling Heights community.”
At the meeting, Stellantis master plan manager Myles Strong briefly discussed what is in SHAP’s future. He said he’d like to see SHAP spending the next 40 years building the next-generation Ram 1500 REV and Ram 1500 Ramcharger.
In response, multiple City Council members recalled how officials rallied over a decade ago to save SHAP from shutting down. Councilman Michael Radtke said the city understands SHAP’s importance for the community.
“The idea in 2010 of the plant closing, I think it shook this city to its core, because we understood just what that meant: how many people would lose their jobs, how it would affect the community,” Radtke said.
“So to see it not only thriving but getting a further investment – I know it inspires all of us. And hopefully we continue the great relationship we have with Stellantis.”
Councilman Henry Yanez thanked the men and women who work in the plant, and he urged the company to relay that message to the facility.
“It’s the fact that people show up every single day, build a super high-quality product,” Yanez said. “They have a high level of production. They make the company profitable, and that makes the company successful, and that success trickles down, not only through Sterling Heights, but throughout the country.”
Mayor Michael Taylor said he knows several SHAP workers, and when they have found out that he drives a Ram 1500, they ask him how he likes it and if he feels it’s good, safe and reliable.
“They take pride in what they do, and they want to hear, if there’s anything wrong, they want to know it, so they can improve and get better,” Taylor said. “So to me, that’s exactly what we want out of a corporate citizen in the city of Sterling Heights.”
Learn more about Sterling Heights by visiting sterlingheights.gov or by calling (586) 446-2489. Learn more about Stellantis by visiting stellantis.com.
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