ROME. The long-awaited meeting on the Stellantis-ACC transition has turned into a further postponement, leaving the future of the Termoli plant shrouded in uncertainty. Despite the commitment of the Ministry of Made in Italy and the pressing requests of the Molise Region, ACC’s announcement surprised everyone: the Gigafactory project has been postponed both in Termoli and in Germany. The promise of more details by the end of the year, based on the testing of a new chemistry for batteries, sounds like yet another delay in a negotiation that has lasted for over 9 months.
The Councilor for Productive Activities of the Molise Region, Andrea Di Lucente, forcefully expressed the Region’s frustration: “In light of these news, we ask that Stellantis increase production, linked to the arrival of other internal combustion engines in Termoli. Furthermore, we ask that a table be set up in the presence of the Minister to discuss the future. We have planned Molise’s industrial strategy around this strategic investment, we have thought about training, infrastructure, packages, everything oriented around ACC. Now we must take note of the news and redefine our future.”
ACC’s postponement of the project’s start wasn’t the only twist. The representatives of Stellantis present at the meeting justified the review of the investment with a general new orientation on the ecological transition, the times of which have become longer. This new approach only adds further uncertainty to an already precarious situation.
Faced with this scenario, it was decided to start a new specific table on Molise with Stellantis and continuous monitoring of the ACC investment. However, the prevailing feeling is that of an uphill battle for the Molise Region. “Our request was granted,” Di Lucente said. “Now we will continue our fight in favor of the Molise territory and to protect employment in both factories. In the meantime, we will constantly dialogue with the unions.”
The reality is that, despite commitments and reassurances, Molise’s industrial future remains uncertain. The Region’s industrial strategy, built around ACC’s investment, must now be completely overhauled. The lack of certainty and the continuous postponements risk compromising not only the economic development of the region, but also the trust of the local communities and workers involved.
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