Der Automobilzulieferer Schaeffler baut Tausende weitere Jobs ab – viele davon in Deutschland

Schaeffler, a major automotive and industrial supplier, is cutting thousands more jobs across Europe, with a significant number in Germany. According to the company, 3,460 positions will be eliminated, with approximately 2,660 of those in Germany. Around 50% of the job cuts impact production, while 30% target research and development, with the remaining 20% affecting other areas.

The company cites the European automotive crisis, which requires further countermeasures and structural adjustments, as the reason for these layoffs. Sixteen European sites are affected by the downsizing, and five locations will close, including the Dortmund factory with 430 employees and the Morbach site with 160 workers. Schaeffler plans to discontinue activities at the Berlin location and abandon the Schwalbach site.

Most of the 385 affected employees are expected to relocate to Frankfurt. Additionally, the tooling business at Höchstadt and capacity adjustments at Erlangen and Schweinfurt are set to be made. The company also intends to streamline operations at other German sites. Currently, Schaeffer employs around 190 people at the affected locations.

The removal of 2,660 jobs represents a reduction of about 9% over the next five years, according to Schaeffler's media release, which increases to 18% when considering previous workforce reductions. The annual profit is expected to improve by €300 million starting in 2030 due to these measures. Schaeffler CEO Klaus Rosenfeld estimates the program will cost around €480 million in one-time costs.

The company had previously announced the elimination of several thousand jobs in 2024 and 2025. The IG Metall trade union and the company's works council strongly criticized the latest cost-cutting program, stating that Schaeffler is implementing another downsizing before the consequences of the previous one have been addressed, which is not a viable future strategy for the German industrial location.