Douvrin plant ends engine production

The Douvrin plant in Pas-de-Calais definitively stopped producing internal combustion engines on Friday, marking the end of over 50 years of such production. The facility, once known as Française de Mécanique, had assembled tens of millions of engines throughout its history.

Closure process began earlier

The decision to close the plant was made during an extraordinary meeting of the company’s works council (CSE) in July. Employee transfers had been ongoing for several years, and while engine assembly ceased this summer, the plant continued machining parts for other Stellantis facilities until Friday.

Electric battery plant opens nearby

In 2023, a new electric battery factory operated by Automotive Cells Company (ACC) was inaugurated next to the Douvrin plant. This joint venture between Stellantis, TotalEnergies, and Mercedes-Benz includes a training center to help workers transition to jobs related to electric vehicles.

Employee transitions secured

Stellantis said that nearly 350 former Douvrin employees have joined ACC since the battery plant opened. Through agreements with trade unions, all former employees of the Douvrin plant now have professional opportunities, including transfers to other Stellantis sites, career endings, or mobility to other employers.

Union criticizes closure as offshoring

The CGT union accused Stellantis of disguising offshoring as part of the energy transition. It claimed that internal combustion engine production is not ending but being moved to other plants in France and Europe, leading to job losses in Pas-de-Calais.

Plant history and current status

The Douvrin plant, established in 1969 as Française de Mécanique by Peugeot and Renault, reached its peak in the 1970s and 1980s before declining. Renault left in 2013, and the site has been known as Stellantis Douvrin since 2021. ACC, now operating nearby, employs nearly 2,000 people.