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After seven months off the job, approximately 850 Ultium Cell union employees will return to work at the General Motors/South Korean-owned battery cell plant in Lordstown.
The company made the announcement Thursday.
"Ultium Cells has informed employees that it will begin a phased return of temporarily laid-off hourly employees at its Warren facility on July 27," a company spokeswoman said. "The phased return is expected to be complete by mid August."
During the transition, members of UAW Local 1112 will complete onboarding, safety training, and job-specific training to prepare for production. When the layoffs were reported in October 2025, the company said plant upgrades would be made during the stoppage period.
"This is welcome news for Ultium Cells employees, their families and the region," said Guy Coviello, president and CEO of the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber. "The return of these workers reinforces what we have believed all along: Ultium Cells' investment in the Lordstown plant is for the long term.
"The company has continued investing in the plant to make its operations more resilient and support its long-term stability. The return of these employees will provide a boost to our regional economy, supporting local businesses, families and communities across the Mahoning Valley."
On Jan. 5, 1,334 employees were displaced. Of those, 484 were on indefinite layoff.
Overall, those affected were battery assembly operators (1,090), quality operators (142) and material operators (102).
The layoffs also addressed about 1,200 jobs in Detroit and 700 in Spring Hill, Tennessee.
"We look forward to welcoming our employees back and continuing to support advanced battery cell manufacturing in the Mahoning Valley," the Ultium representative said.